RANGECEY LAKES, MAINE: FISHES, ANGLING, AND FISH CULTURE. 531 



trout is due to an increased number of anglers and consequent records, with the admis- 

 sion of a greater number of the small fish to the records. 



In 1903, according to Maine Woods, February 13 of that year, Capt. F. C. Barker, 

 testifying before a legislative committee regarding the need of a fish hatchery at Range- 

 ley, stated: "The salmon are increasing, while there is a falling off in the number of 

 trout. Of course there are more people who fish for them than did a comparatively 

 few years ago, yet the spawning beds show the decrease to a perceptible extent." 

 Regarding the same matter, John A. Decker testified as follows: "The salmon fishing 

 is good, while the trout are diminishing. While the salmon are a gamer fish, there is 

 something attractive about the trout, and if the present conditions continue it will be 

 only a short time before it will be a rarity to catch a trout in those waters." 



The salmon preponderated over trout constantly in the records of catches in the 

 Rangeley Lakes from 1899. Regarding the fishing in 1904 to August 13, Forest and 

 Stream had the following communication : 



The fishing in Maine this season has been about up to the average. The trout, I think, have fallen 

 off, but the salmon have more than made up the decrease in trout. They have thrived wonderfully, 

 making their appearance in many new lakes year by year. If it were not for the landlocked salmon the 

 fishing would have deteriorated very perceptibly. They are the coming fish in Maine. 



Undoubtedly the increased output of the hatchery has had an appreciable effect 

 upon the maintenance of the trout supply, as it has in the increase of the salmon. Yet 

 the conclusion is unavoidable that the salmon have had a marked effect upon the 

 trout supply of the lakes. 



Gameness. — This salmon is undoubtedly one of the gamest of game fishes, but 

 times and circumstances modify these qualities in one way or another. Trolling or 

 plug fishing will not afford the sport that fly fishing does. As a rule, the smaller fish 

 are far more active than the very large ones. 



It is impossible to adequately describe all of the factors that enter into the com- 

 posite characteristic termed "gameness," and it is unnecessary, as every angler who 

 has caught the fish knows it well and those who have not caught them can form but 

 little idea from graphic descriptions. Regarding gameness in proportion to the size 

 of the fish, it may be said that as a rule the larger fish are less likely to do much leaping 

 from the water, while small fish are very active leapers at almost any time of the year. 

 About the middle of June the writer caught a 13-pound salmon, trolling a fly and using 

 a 4>^-ounce fly rod. The fish did not leave the water until netted and restricted his 

 activities to short runs, soimding, and sulking. It took 40 minutes to get the fish. 

 About the same date a iK-po^nd salmon, caught on the same rig by casting in the 

 outlet of the lake, although it required much less time to net it, leaped from the water 

 17 times by actual count, occasionally three or four times in rapid succession. It was 

 stated in a sportsmen's paper that the 12^-pound salmon caught by Mr. Rogers in 

 Rangeley Lake, September 25, 1898, was landed in 15 minutes, while one of lo^ pounds 

 taken by Judge Whitehouse, June 9, came out of the water four times and was landed 

 in I hour and 55 minutes. 



It is the general impression that this salmon will not take a fly except in certain 

 bodies of water, but there is probably no lake or stream inhabited by the fish where 

 it will not take a fly in fly time, although the very large fish are less likely to do so than 

 smaller ones. Such an impression probably got abroad through the fact that those 



