70 KEPOET OF ONTARIO GAME No. 53 



orama of exquisite forest scenery, its splendid Avaterfalls and series of 

 unnavigable, white-crested rapids, has long been celebrated as one of 

 the outstanding beauty spots of the continent, and has been the Mecca of 

 many a tourist from all parts of America and Europe, not the least of 

 its attractions being, however, the fact that amidst all the charm of its 

 unique and entrancing scenery sport is to be enjoyed in the shape of 

 angling for speckled trout of such size and gameness as are to be found 

 in but few districts of the world. Naturally the difficulties of trans- 

 portation and navigation in the past, combined with the excellence of 

 the sport on the river itself, have tended to keep the great majority of 

 the visitors on the river, and to prevent all but the most venturesome, 

 with considerable time at their disposal, from ascending northwards into 

 the lake, exploring its archipelagoes and shores, and testing the angling 

 possibilities of its waters and those of the numerous rivers and streams 

 flowing into it. It is known, however, that speckled trout of great size 

 abound in certain parts of the lake, and in most of the rivers which feed 

 the lake, and it is indisputable, also, that the beauty of the scenery over 

 a great portion of the lake and throughout the bulk of the surrounding 

 territory is such that the construction of easy transportation thereto 

 cannot but result in the advent of many visitors, anxious to see it for 

 themselves and to enjoy the magnificent sport of almost virgin waters. 

 It would seem, therefore, of the greatest importance to safeguard the per- 

 petuation of the speckled trout in Lake Nipigon in the event of commer- 

 •cial fishing operations ever being permitted in its waters. 



There can be no doubt but that the coming of the Grank Trunk 

 Pacific and Canadian Northern Railways into this region will be fol- 

 lowed by a considerable opening up of the country in the vicinity of Lake 

 Nipigon, owing to the latent mineral, timber and agricultural potentiali- 

 ties of the area. To the south, the fisheries of Lake Superior should well 

 be able to supply all the needs of an increasing population along its 

 chores and it would appear, therefore, that the ultimate destiny of the 

 commercial fisheries of Lake Nipigon should be to supply wholesome and 

 cheap fish to the future population of the country to the north, east and 

 west of it. There can be no great material benefit to the Province at 

 large from the speedy exploitation of these fisheries, for the revenue to 

 he derived therefrom would be but trifling and, under the existing sys- 

 tem of administration and condition of the commercial fisheries situa- 

 tion, as disclosed in previous sections of this report, there would be 

 considerable danger of these comparatively shallow waters being rapidly 

 depleted should they be given over to the greedy operations of the 

 monopolies or t^ieir mymirdons. On the other hand, there should be a 

 material benefit to the Province to be derived from these fisheries in the 

 future in supplying a cheap fish food to a growing population in the sur- 

 rounding region. 



It has been claimed that the lake is at present overstocked with fish 

 and that as a result there is a paucity of food which is reflected in the 



