80 THE EEPOET UPON Xo. 14 



Ol>erseer John Jones, of Fenelon Falls, reports that the fishing has been better 

 than in previous years and some good catches have been made. 



Ducks have been very plentiful this fall but not many have been killed. 



Muskrats are fairly plentiful but mink are scarce. 



Frogs are becoming more plentiful and no doubt the close season is having, 

 good effect. 



Deer are about the same as other years, although there were not many killed, 

 they were hard to get. 



Overseer H. B. Parker, of Bohcaygeon, reports that the fishing this year was 

 very fair but not so good as it was last year. 



Maskinonge are decreasing owing to such a large number being taken each 

 year; besides this last spring was a very bad one for hatching, as the fish spawn 

 in the marshes when the water is at its height, and then when it drops, the eggs 

 are left stranded. There are two reasons for the loss of maskinonge spawn which 

 are hard to control. They spawn in wa/ter from six inches to two feet deep as soon 

 as the ice leaves the lake, and by the time they have finished spawning the water 

 begins to drop. It falls from two to three feet in the lower lakes below Bohcaygeon 

 and from one to two feet in the upper lakes. It is a difficult matter to control 

 the water at that time of the year as the whole country is flooded and it would be 

 unwise to hold it back although it can sometimes be reasonably aided. 



Another reason for the loss of maskinonge is that sometimes there will be just 

 a few of this species of fish in a marsh with an area of 20 acres. These fish swim 

 all over the marsh in about six inches to two feet of water, depositing their spawn 

 as they swim and then they go to the deeper water, leaving the eggs to be devoured 

 hy minnows and perch. 



Maskinonge spawn from April 20th to May 10th and bass from May 20th to 

 June 20th. Unlike the maskinonge the bass watch their spawn until they have been 

 hatched a few days and are able to swim about. They spawn in from three to six 

 feet of water on rocky or sandy shores, and it has better opportunities of fertilizing 

 than the maskinonge spawn. 



He recommends that the Department have a qualified person to investigate a 

 suitable site for a fish hatchery on the Karwartha Lakes, especially for maslcinonge 

 as he thinks the bass will hold their own. 



The early fall ducks were more numerous than other years but up to the time 

 of writing the late fall ducks are scarce. 



Partridges are very numerous, and it is an easy matter to attain the limit. 



Deer are more plentiful this fall than other years. 



Muskrats are very numerous, their houses are very thick in the marshes and 

 bays, owing to the water being so very low in the creeks and ponds in the woods. 

 They have all come to the lakes to spend the winter where there is plenty of water. 



Mink are about the same as usual. Beaver are increasing, and if left alone 

 they would abound in the north country as there are thousands of acres of waste 

 land which is of no value except for the game and fur found thereon, which if 

 protected would be a paradise for game. 



Overseer Charles W. ParHn. of Valentia, reports that maskinonge and bass 

 were very scarce throughout his division during the past season : but now that 

 winter fishing is prohibited and the Government has recently deposited a large 

 number of black bass fingerlings in the Scugog waters they should again enjoy good 

 angling. 



