BLACK BASS VERSUS NETTING OF COARSE FISH. 



By J. P. Snyder, 

 U. S. Fisheries Station, Cape Vincent, N. Y. 



What effect in general does the netting of coarse fish in 

 the early spring before bass spawn and in the late fall after 

 bass leave the shoal waters have upon the abundance of 

 black bass? This is a local question coming up again and 

 again in the vicinity of Cape Vincent, New York, situated 

 at the junction of the St. Lawrence River with Lake Ontario. 

 Since this question undoubtedly comes up from time to time 

 all over this country where people are deeply interested in 

 bass fishing the writer feels justified in bringing it to the 

 attention of this society hoping it will provoke discussion and 

 be helpful to those who are frequently called upon to answer 

 the question. To the inhabitants of many of our tourist 

 villages along Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River the 

 correct solution of this question is of vital importance and 

 doubtless this is true of communities in many other states and 

 in many of the provinces north of us. The writer refers to 

 it as a vital question because the prosperity, in fact the very 

 life of many of our lake and river shore villages is depend- 

 ent upon good bass fishing that draws its devotees from all 

 parts of this country and from every walk in life. Many 

 millions of dollars are invested in boardinghouse and hotel 

 property maintained for the convenience and comfort of 

 men and women who enjoy the exhilarating thrill and sport 

 of catching black bass. Many hundreds of thousands of 

 dollars are also invested in boats and equipment for their 

 accommodation, and employment is given to thousands of 

 men v/ho act as guides in conducting these summer visitors 

 to various fishing grounds. Even the catching of bait for all 

 these thousands of bass fishermen is no insignificant source 

 of employment and revenue. The revenue derived from the 

 people who annually visit Lake Ontario and the St. Law- 

 rence River runs into many hundreds of thousands of dollars 

 and it is the lure of black bass more than any other one thing 

 that impels them to come again and again and to stay as 

 long as they can. Poor bass fishing is immediately reflect- 

 ed in the attendance at our hotels, boarding houses and 

 tourist camps. Take away our bass fishing or destroy it to 

 such an extent th^t it is no longer attractive to our summer 



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