THE LARGE-MOUTHED BLACK BASS IN UTAE 



BY JOHN SHARP, 

 State Fish and Game Warden. 



This excellent fish was first introduced into Utah September 8, 1890, when a 

 carload of black bass, red-eyed perch, crappies, and sunfish (many of them spawners) 

 was received from the Illinois Eiver. About a fourth of these were put into the 

 Weber Eiver at Ogden and the remainder into Utah Lake. Of the lot planted in Utah 

 Lake, 2,000 were large-mouthed black bass. Of those planted in the Weber Kiver at 

 Ogden little has been said or heard, but the Utah Lake fish have developed very 

 satisfactorily. They were not allowed to be taken in any manner for three years 

 after their introduction, and at the expiration of the legislative period of protection 

 it was evident that the large mouthed bass had increased very rapidly and grown 

 to a fairly good size. A few were taken in the fall of 1893, the largest weighing 3 

 pounds, the average being about 1 pound. In 1894 they began to be taken regularly 

 for domestic use and commercial purposes about 30.000 pounds per annum being 

 reported by the commercial fishermen and dealers and, including those taken by 

 sportsmen and others for family use, I believe I would be within conservative bounds 

 in saying that Utah Lake has produced annually 40,000 pounds of Oswego bass since 

 1894, without taking into consideration those taken for propagating purposes in this 

 and neighboring States. I am told that they are increasing rapidly and that there 

 are many millions in the lake. 



The annual growth of the largest specimens taken seems to be about 1 ponnd. 

 The largest fish taken in 1895 weighed 4 pounds. In 1896 the largest weighed 5$ 

 pounds and was about 18 inches long. In 1897 the heaviest fish taken weighed 6 

 pounds and was about 19 inches in length. Not having had any experience with this 

 fish before its introduction here, the larger sizes seem to me to grow extremely stocky, 

 their length not appearing to be more than about twice their depth. This is no doubt 

 a marked characteristic of the species where favorable conditions exist for its perfect 

 growth and development. 



This Utah lake, which has proven to be such an excellent nursery for the Oswego 

 bass, is situated near the center of the State and has an area of about 200 square 

 miles, with an average depth of 10 to 15 feet, and lies at an altitude of 4,499 feet above 

 mean sea level. The surface temperature of the water during the summer months I 

 estimate will range from 60 to 65 F. I have not learned of any extended temperature 

 tests of the water having been made to determine the average temperature. 



The lake has an approximate length of 20 miles north and south, with an average 

 width of about 10 miles east and west, and is fed by a number of springs and mountain 

 streams of varying size, with one of considerable volume, the Provo or Timpanogos 

 Eiver. The water running into the lake comes from streams draining from the Wasatch 



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