58 FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 



In particular, the supply of rainbow and steelhead trout eggs is rapidly 

 diminishing, for the adult fish in all the lakes and streams are getting 

 less each year. 



The trout in Lake Tahoe suffered a heavy loss from an epidemic of 

 unknown cause several years ago. The fish planted in the tributary 

 streams of Lake Tahoe are caught before reaching the lake and do 

 not have a chance to develop. We earnestly recommend the passage of 

 a law prohibiting fishing in any of the streams tributary to Lake Tahoe, 

 so that the fish planted in the streams may have a chance to remain in 

 the streams until they can reach the lake and there make a growth that 

 Avill be of some value to anglers. A shorter fishing season must be had 

 if fishing of any consequence is to be maintained in the lakes and streams 

 of California. 



The open season for trout should be so regulated as to give the spawn- 

 ing fish every opportunity to deposit their eggs before being caught, 

 and at the same time allow the egg-collections: stations an opportunity 

 to collect all the eggs possible before the fishing season opens. The 

 season should not be open before June 1st anywhere in the Sierra 

 region. The coastal region should open May 1st and close October 1st. 

 The coastal district should include Mendocino and San Diego counties. 

 In District No. 14, the season for trout should open June 1st and close 

 November 15th. The use of spears in all districts and the use of fish 

 eggs of any species for bait should be prohibited. 



Lake Tahoe. Referring to the conditions at Lake Tahoe, we can not 

 too strongly urge further biological studies regarding the fish in this 

 lake. The excessive fishing for over forty years by the market fishermen 

 before the law prohibiting the sale of trout was passed, the impounding 

 of the water in Fallen Leaf Lake, the diversion of water from the 

 tributary creeks for domestic purposes, the loss of fish several years ago 

 by an epidemic during the winter and early spring have all been con- 

 tributing to a general depletion of the trout in Lake Tahoe. For 

 reasons that we can not account for the white fish that formerly 

 abounded in the lake by the thousands, have been gradually becoming 

 less and they have not been caught by anglers and fishermen. Years 

 ago, during the breeding season in the fall, these fish would approach 

 the shores in schools of thousands and ascend the Upper Truckee River 

 where they deposited their eggs. There has been a great falling off 

 in the number of fish of these species, for reasons as above mentioned, 

 that are unaccountable. While there has been a fair run of fish in the 

 creeks during the spring months, not many have been caught in the 

 lake during the summer months. The hatcheries have planted an aver- 

 age of 2,000,000 fish each season, but we have not obtained the results 

 that we do in other lakes and streams. A close study of conditions 

 must be made to determine the cause of the apparent shortage of the 

 native species. 



The Mackinaw trout were introduced into Lake Tahoe in 1895 at 

 •the request of the market fishermen and others, so the writer was 

 informed at the time the eggs were shipped to California. The Nevada 

 State Fish and Game Commission also hatched and planted Mackinaw 

 trout in Lake Tahoe at approximately the same time. The exact date 

 that the Nevada Commission introduced the fish into Lake Tahoe is 

 not known. Some persons claim the Mackinaw trout were introduced 



