THIRTY-NINTH BIENNIAL REPORT 29 



The poor run in 1944 was due to a heavy kill of fish which took place 

 in Merced County. At this time the river was reduced to a string of nearly 

 isolated pools for many miles below Dos Palos, resulting from a combi- 

 nation of factors: a light snow pack and impoundment of water to fill 

 Friant Dam plus normal irrigation demand. Water was finally gotten 

 down the stream, but the flow was low enough that in many places the 

 fish had to swim through water less than two feet deep, making them easy 

 prey for spears. Spearing was legal and as many as 200 spearers were 

 counted at a single sand bar. Many of these people were decent sports- 

 men who would take their limit of two fish and go home. Others were of 

 the type who would spear 20 or 30 fish and take home the two largest. 

 Many people used pitch forks or other inadequate spears, and thousands 

 of fish escaped only to die later. Even the people who were spearing were 

 disgusted with the slaughter, but would say, "It ought to be stopped, 

 but as long as it is legal I might as well get mine. ' ' Spearing is now pro- 

 hibited throughout the entire State. 



The 1945 count of 56,000 fish is a minimum figure. The river was 

 high enough so that most of the fish jumped the Mendota Dam instead 

 of using the fish ladder. These fish could be seen in the daytime, and their 

 numbers estimated, but not at night. However, evidence indicates that at 

 that point the run at night is very light. 



Tuolumne River: The Tuolumne River count was made on the 

 ' ' big year ' ' of the four-year cycle. The figure of 130,000 consists princi- 

 pally of fish counted through the fish ladder on the Modesto Dam, and 

 includes an estimate of those that jumped the dam. The Tuolumne River 

 salmon run almost exclusively in the fall. There is only a bare remnant 

 of a spring run. 



Mokelumne River: The Mokelumne River count was a combina- 

 tion of a fish ladder count and an ' ' over the dam ' ' count. The figure may 

 be too low, but gives an idea of the magnitude of the run. The Mokelumne 

 is potentially an excellent salmon stream, but the Woodbridge Dam is 

 such a serious fish hazard that there would seem to be little hope of 

 rebuilding the run until a satisfactory fish ladder is installed. The present 

 fish ladder works poorly at some water conditions, and is entirely non- 

 functional at others. 



Detailed plans have been drawn for a new ladder. We hope to have 

 it installed during the coming biennium. 



American River: American River "counts" are actually calcula- 

 tions based on tag returns. The American has both a spring and a fall 

 run ; both of which are included in the above figures. 



Tagging: During 1943, 1944, and 1945 the only salmon tagged 

 were those released in the American River at Sacramento for population 

 estimate purposes. The tags used were half-inch discs of celluloid held 

 one on each side of the dorsal fin by a pin through the back of the fish. 



Year No. tagged 



1943 529 



1944 1,659 



1945 653 



