CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME 



Dano:erous to bathers l)y roason of its sting and its liabit of lying 

 partly buried on the bottom. By far the worst pest in the bay. Has 

 no game qualities whatever. 



12. Bat sting ray (Actohatus califori^wns). Found in abuiidanco 

 on the mud flats and in the cliannels. Exceeds 50 pounds in weight 

 and is a hard fighter Avhen hooked. Known 1o destroy clams. Carries 

 a dangerous sting. Furnishes excellent sjjort if tlu^ fislici-nian has 

 enough line to stop the first rush. 



13. Skates. Several species of skates inhabit the bay. Some attain 

 a weight of 50 pounds. Said to destroy clams. Negligible game 

 qualities. 



14. Sharks. Several species of sliarks inhabit Ihe bay. Some of 

 these furnish anglers with excellent sport. Individuals of four and 

 five feet in length are common. 



't:< " 



Bait Fishes 



Large numbers of several kinds of small fislies inliabit Mission 

 Bay. These are used as food by the larger fishes and are employed 

 to some extent as bait by fishermen. The ones that are probably most 

 common are listed below. 



1. Toj) minnow {Fu7iduJiis parvipinnis) . Exceedingl}^ coiinnon. 

 Excellent live bait. 



2. Long-jaw goby (GiJlichthj/s mirahilis) . Locally called mud 

 sucker. Good as live bait. 



3. Smelt (species of family Atherinidae). Good as live bait. 



4. Anchovies (species of family Engraulidae). Not seen by us, 

 but said to be common. Excellent bait, alive or dead. 



5. Amphioxis or lancelet. Too snuill for use as bait but is i)reyed 

 upon by many species of fish. 



Ofhrr Spec IPS 



1. Mullet {Mugil ccplKilKs). Very eomniou. Attains a Iriigth 

 of two feet. Feeds on vegetable matter and is consequently not taken 

 by anglers. 



2. Needlefish (Sfronf/jilura fxilis). Called gar by local fishermen. 

 Very common. Attains a length of three feet. The target of spear 

 wielders on the Mission Beach bridge. Seldom takes the hook. 



SPECIES OF SHELLFISH NOW PRESENT TN MISSION BAY 



Clams 



The mud flats of Mission Bay sujiport a large ])opulation of several 

 kinds of clams. The clams are used by man principally as bait and 

 to a small extent as food. Tlie following list of the commoner species 

 has been compiled from AVeymouth * and from the observations of the 

 authors of this report. 



1. Jack-knife clam (Tagelus calif ornianiis). Locally called razor 

 clam. By far the most numerous clam in the bay. ^lost extensively 



* Weymouth, Frank 'W. The edible clam.s, mus.sel.s and scaUops of California. 

 Calif. Fish & Game Comniission, Fish Bull. No. 4, 1921. 



