GAME AND FISHERIES FOR 1929 23 



The location of deep-seated springs in the vicinity of the Mount Pleasant 

 ponds may undoubtedly lead to the possibility of retaining speckled trout in 

 suitably constructed raceways or rearing ponds to the advanced fingerling and 

 yearling stages. 



The Fish Culture Branch has experienced a record year as regards the 

 collection of speckled trout eggs. From our collecting field on Lake Nipigon 

 in the neighbourhood of one million eggs were taken. In addition to this over 

 six million eggs were collected from well-matured parent fish at Normandale 

 Trout Ponds. 



Rainbow Trout: 



The distribution of this species for the year amounted to 35,030 fingerhngs. 

 At the time of writing there is on hand approximately 19,000 which is the product 

 of fingerlings retained in rearing ponds from the spring of 1929. Losses among 

 these at the Mount Pleasant hatchery amounted to approximately 12 per cent. 



The parent stock are provided with a suitable natural pond in the lower 

 waters of Normandale Creek, and a spawning tank has been provided at the 

 inlet to the pond. The water in the lower Normandale hatchery has been 

 found satisfactory for the rearing of rainbow trout to the fingerling stage, but 

 unsatisfactory' for speckled trout on account of high summer temperatures. 



The Branch anticipates, providing the collection of eggs from our domesti- 

 cated stock is successful, that more extensive plants of this species may be 

 made in our waters. Their introduction, however, must be carefully controlled. 



Brown Trout: 



The success in rearing brown trout at Mount Pleasant hatchery is decidedly 

 promising. This foreign species adapts itself to waters having temperatures 

 which are too high for the satisfactory growth and development of speckled 

 trout, and this is probably one reason for the success resulting at Mount Pleasant. 



During the year a total of 2,590 adult brown trout were planted in Big 

 Clear Lake, Frontenac; Eagle Lake, Peterborough; Nepahwin Lake, Sudbury; 

 and Muskoka Lake, Muskoka District. The success of the introduction of 

 this foreign species to these waters will be checked closely. 



Prior to the development of biological surveys, very few plants of speckled 

 trout were made in the County of Frontenac. Biological surveys, however, 

 have led to experimentation along this line. In 1926 Clear Lake Creek (Kellar's 

 Creek), a tributary of Big Clear Lake, was stocked with 4,000 speckled trout 

 fry, for the first time. Trout were not formerly native to this stream. The 

 original plant in Big Clear Lake Creek was a success and quite a number of 

 legal-sized trout was caught this year. However, the tributary and outlet 

 streams of the lake are more suitable for brown trout on account of the fact 

 that optimum conditions for speckled trout prevail only at the headwaters. 



The results of biological surveys carried on by the State of New York, 

 over a period of years, tend to show that it is possible to extend the fishing 

 possibilities in streams by the introduction of brown trout to those sections 

 which are no longer suitable for speckled trout on account of high water 

 temperatures, during the summer months, which are outside the optimum 

 conditions for speckled trout. Brown trout were rarely encountered in streams 

 having temperatures below 65°F. and occurred in greatest abundance in water 

 having a temperature range between 68°F. and 75°F, according to New York 



