568 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 



scarcer many fishermen on the same grounds at one time would make the fish wary or 

 actually drive them away. That such conditions obtained, even in the early eighties, 

 is evinced by the numerous complaints of poor fishing and the explanations of it current 

 in sportsmen's journals of that period. 



For years there was a general steady complaint pervading the more or less fluctuating 

 adverse and favorable reports regarding the fishing in Rangeley Lakes. Such complaint 

 came not from occasional visitors but from permanent residents on the shores and from 

 persons of many continuous years of experience. On the other hand, there were counter 

 arguments and statements from individuals of the same classes. In evidence of their 

 contention that the fishing was as good as ever, better, or improving, they published the 

 catches of individuals that made an excellent demonstration of the good when no men- 

 tion was made of the many more who caught no fish." Many of those who claimed 

 that the fishing was not declining were those whose business interests were at stake, 

 depending upon the annual visitors for success. Some of the same individuals testified 

 before the legislature regarding the necessity of a hatchery and fish propagation at the 

 akes, but this may have been of prophylactic rather than therapeutic intent. 



There are always some, who, disappointed on a fishing trip, decry the lake or stream 

 as depleted. Such failures are usually due to some more or less temporary cause. Even 

 in well-stocked waters the quality of the fishing varies. There are annual, seasonal, 

 monthly, weekly, daily, and even hourly variations, and sometimes within shorter 

 jjeriods of time. These variations are caused by one or more of innumerable natural 

 conditions or circumstances. To these may be added those produced by artificia 

 causes, which are also too many to be here enumerated. Undoubtedly, in their palmiest 

 days the Rangeley Lakes were not always uniform in respect to the quality of the fishing. 

 At any rate, the earliest available records reveal seasons of poor as well as good fishing. 

 However, the question with which the present-day angler is concerned does not relate 

 to the well-known good and off seasons but to whether or not the fishing has generally and 

 greatly declined, and, if so, what, if any, is the remedy. 



In an effort to ascertain, as nearly as possible, the true situation during the time in 

 which the disputes relating to the alleged decrease of trout took place, the writer under- 

 took to compile all of the quantities and sizes of trout and all the expressed opinions 

 afforded by Forest and Stream, American Angler, and Maine Woods, and to compare 

 the published individual views with the synchronous conditions indicated by the figures. 

 In this way it was found that out of 42 years for which definite records were available 

 there were 18 years yielding 100 or more fish each. The highest numerical record was 

 in 1874, followed by 1883 and 1898, in the order named. In the latter year, however, 

 the number did not amount to one-half of the number of 1883. The lowest three years, 

 in the order named, were 1906, 1877, and 1914, and a fluctuating decline was noticeable, 

 particularly marked from 1883, or about the time at which the complaints regarding the 

 deterioration of the fishing began to appear. 



Beginning comparisons with 1881, 18 years of the period of 34 years to 1914, 

 inclusive, contained synchronous records and favorable or unfavorable statements. From 



o In 1882 there were 236 trout recorded. 107, or about 45 per cent of which, were caught by two anglers. Again, in 1883, there 

 were 513 trout recorded and eight anglers caught 350, or about 68 per cent of them. If such proportions were anywhere nearly 

 uniform throughout the period covered by this report, it would indicate that the great majority of the fish of standard size wer« 

 not recorded or else that the fishing was satisfactory to only a few more skillful or more fortunate anglers. 



