FISHES OF PENNSYLVANIA. 129 
“Dexter,” in Forest and Stream, August 14, 1890, makes the follow- 
ing statement about its habits in the lakes: “These fish run up the 
rivers before or as soon as the ice is out, and after spawning lie off the 
rivers’ mouth feeding on and off the sand flats, as the spring rains bring 
down plenty of worms, and probably other matter which they feed on. 
As soon as the water gets warm they sag off and work along the shores 
in ten to thirty feet of water, preferring cobbly bottom; from here they 
go into very deep water, coming on the reefs to feed, and when the wind 
blows very hard, or for a day or so after a big blow, you will find them 
right on top of a reef. I think the wind changes the water over the 
reefs, making a new current and cooler water, so they come up to feed. 
They are a bottom fish, and to fish for them successfully one must go to 
the bottom for them. They are nearly as particular as salmon-trout 
about the water they inhabit and consequently rank very high as a food 
fish, being white, solid and extremely free from bones.” 
The origin of the pike-perch in Pennsylvania is unknown, but it was 
doubtless transplanted from the North. In 1833 this fish was abundant 
in the Susquehanna and the Juniata within twenty miles of the head- 
waters. In the fall of the year it was caught in such quantities by the 
people that it was packed in barrels, salted, and in the spring carried to 
market and exchanged for goods and groceries. In 1840 it was abund- 
ant even up to the headwaters of the Juniata, and was caught and 
speared in great numbers, to be salted and carried to market in the 
spring by raftsmen. 
The colors of the pike-perch change remarkably with age. The young 
have oblique dark bands very much like those of the king-fish of our 
east coast, and bear little resemblance in the pattern of coloration to 
the parent. The eye of the living fish is like a glowing emerald. The 
rate of growth must be rapid. In July, 1888, we took examples from 
four to six inches long, some of which seemed to be the young of the 
year. 
This is one of the finest food and game fishes of the United States. 
Its flesh is firm and white, flaky and well flavored. Commercially the 
species ranks high in the Great Lake region, being next in importance 
to the white fish. Its multiplication by the Pennsylvania commission 
is one of the numerous evidences of sound judgment displayed by the 
commissioners. ; 
In angling for the pike-perch live minnows are used in preference to 
all other baits, particularly such as are more or less transparent and 
with silvery sides, as the fall-fish or dace, the corporal roach, the red fin 
and the gudgeon. On some parts of the Susquehanna, between Colum- 
bia and Harrisburg, the favorite mode of capture is by trolling with the 
spoon with the same kind of tackle as is used for the black bass. 
Among the favorite fishing grounds are Fite’s Eddy, Washington bor- 

9 FIsHES 
