RANGELEY LAKES, MAINE: FISHES, ANGLING, AND FISH CULTURE. 527 



the supply of trout has scarcely lost anything, a supply of salmon has been added." A 

 record of the catch by guests of the Rangeley Lake House on June 5 consisted of 17 

 salmon but not a single trout. 



In 1 906, the year of the largest catch of salmon in the Rangeley Lakes, during the week 

 up to May 30, the records of the Rangeley Lake House showed 34 salmon and 3 trout. 

 In Maine Woods a comparison of two weeks fishing during the last of May and June, 

 1905 and 1906, was made as follows: 1905, 53 trout and salmon weighing from 3 to 8^ 

 pounds; 1906, 74, of which 5 were trout, the largest 5X pounds, the largest salmon 9 

 pounds. The paper stated that this was the best record ever made by guests of the 

 Rangeley Lake House. Another score was reported covering the time from May 15 to 

 July 3, inclusive, consisting of 278 fish aggregating 1,147^ pounds and averaging 4 

 pounds 2^ ounces, with no fish under 3 pounds entered. Another report in the same 

 paper stated that during July the guests of the same hotel had recorded 127 salmon and 

 only I trout, which weighed 5^ pounds. 



Size attained in Rangeley Lakes. — The largest salmon on record for Rangeley Lakes 

 are one of i8>^ and one of 17^ pounds, taken by State fish culturists in 1905. The 

 largest taken by an angler was one of 1 6)4 pounds, caught by George T. McNeil," a Boston 

 Pullman-car conductor, in 1903. There are two records of i3X-pound fish, one in 1897 

 and the other in 191 1. One of i^ys pounds was taken in 1902; three of i2}4 pounds in 

 1898, 1903, and 1910, respectively; one of 12-3^ pounds in 1907; two of 12 pounds in 

 1882 and 1900, respectively; one of iiX pounds in 1905; one of 11 pounds in 1886; one 

 of io|^ pounds in 1896; one of 10^ pounds in 1901; one of 10^ pounds in 1908; and 

 one of ID pounds in 1899. The average weight for the last 10 years, up to and including 

 1912, was a Uttle over 4X (4.26) pounds. 



In 1 91 5 the average weight as ascertained from 549 records ranging from i to 8^ 

 pounds, was a little over 2H (3-55) pounds. 



Catches ok salmon and trout compared. — It has been maintained by some 

 that the trout decreased in numbers as the salmon increased, which opinion is to some 

 extent supported by deduction from the following data : 



In Upper Rangeley Lake, or Oquossoc Lake, the first salmon was caught in 1887, 

 two more were taken in 1888, none is recorded for 1889 and 1890, and one is mentioned 

 nextfor 1891. No more records appear until 1896, when 23 salmon are recorded but no 

 trout. In 1897, 35 salmon, ranging from 3 to 13^^ pounds, are recorded and 6 trout 

 from 2 to 6^ pounds. In 1898, 45 salmon weighing from 3^ to 12X pounds and 32 

 trout weighing from 2)4 to 8)4 pounds are recorded. The records for 1899 show 65 

 salmon, ranging in weight up to lo pounds and averaging 4^ and 5 trout weighing 

 from 3X to 6)4 pounds, averaging 5 pounds. Of this catch, 92.86 per cent were salmon 

 and 7.14 per cent trout. In 1900, 6 salmon ranging from 4X to 12 pounds are on record 

 but no trout. In 1901, 11 salmon weighing from 2 to j}4 pounds but no trout are 

 recorded. In 1902, 11 salmon weighing from 3^ to 10 pounds and 3 trout weighing 

 from 3^ to 6}4 pounds are reported. In 1903 salmon appeared in considerable numbers 

 but were followed by a big decrease in 1904. The records show also a decrease in trout, 

 but from then on the numbers increased fluctuatingly. 



The first salmon taken in Mooselucmaguntic, weighing one-half pound, and 9 trout 

 were recorded in 1875. The following year i salmon of 2 pounds and 35 trout were 



a Forest and Stream, June 6, 1903, p. 468. 



