18 THE EEPOET UPON No. 14 



Beaver: Increasing very "rapidly. Few creeks in this North Country that 

 do not contain their workings. Heavy continuous rains during the last two 

 months have caused several heavy floods here, which have destroyed railway em- 

 bankments and bridges, road bridges, washed out culverts, dams and river im- 

 provements, and caused thousands of dollars of expense. So much brush has been 

 noted in the flood debris that there is little doubt the beaver contributed greatly 

 to the cause, innumerable beaver dams holding back large areas of water, and failing, 

 the great volume of water carried everything hefore it. It would seem that some 

 regulation providing for the judicious taking of some beaver, should now be 

 considered. 



Marten, Fisher, Mink: Few. My opinion is these animals should be given 

 at least a couple of years' protection. 



Otter : Few. Are not increasing even under protection. It is to be admitted 

 that otter are being killed illegally, and the pelts disposed of " under our noses," 

 with small chances of discovery. 



Speckled Trout: Owing to very indifferent weather, intermittent heavy rains 

 and high water throughout the season, this fine game has not given the sport 

 afforded in former years. Some fair catches have been made in some of the 

 inland lakes and streams, but generally the angler met with disappointment. 

 Weather conditions, however, are not the only causes for his lack of sport. That 

 a number of the lakes and streams in the vicinity of the Soo have become seriously 

 depleted, is very apparent to the observing fishermen, whose catches have been 

 shrinking rapidly of late years. 



Black Bass: There are but a few lakes in this vicinity which contain bass. 

 Some fine fishjiave been taken in the lakes adjacent to the Canadian Pacific Rail- 

 way Soo Line, some few miles east of the Soo. The lakes and channels in the 

 vicinity of Little Current are maintaining their good reputation as splendid bass 

 fishing grounds. 



A number of lakes north of the Soo could be planted with black bass with 

 surety of success. 



Lake Trout: The greater number of the inland lakes in this district contain 

 this splendid fish in great number and size. I have seen gray trout taken out 

 of Trout Lake, Mile 57, Algoma Central Eailway, of over a yard in length, and 

 weighing some twenty-eight pounds dressed. These fish do not take the hook 

 (readily. They come out of deep water onto the shoals, sometimes as early as 

 September, for the purpose of spawning, when they are easily taken by shooting, 

 spearing, gaffing or netting, all of which means are of course illegal. The law 

 as I interpret it, gives this species protection under the name of " Salmon-Trout " 

 during the entire month of November, which period, much too short in the case 

 of Lake Superior and Lake Huron fisheries to make certain that the processes 

 of reproduction are safely cared for, is, in the case of the smaller inland lakes, 

 about two months too late for any protection of this nature. A close season 

 similar to the speckled trout is a necessity for the gray or lake trout in the inland 

 lakes; and the Great Lakes gray trout should have protection from September 

 I5th to November 30th, at least, in my humble opinion, if this fine but fast 

 decreasing food fish is to have at the least a fighting chance- for existence. 



Several cases have been reported of netting in inland lakes. These have been 

 investigated and a seizure of nets made. 



Commercial Fishing : By all accounts this past season generally has been more 

 successful than for several years, in whitefish especially. Lifts fell away during 



