RANGELEY LAKES, MAINE: FISHES, ANGLING, AND FISH CULTURE. 573 



From the foregoing figures the inference is that the number of trout greatly decreased 

 until the nineties, when they increased again, but the highest later numerical record, 

 1914, did not attain to the quantity recorded in the seventies and early eighties. How- 

 ever, there appears to be but little change in the general average weight," and really 

 large fish were taken every year, but not quite so many in any one of the later years 

 as in the earlier years represented by the records. And there is no reason why a trout, 

 if permitted to live, should not attain as large a size as formerly; in fact, in later years, 

 owing to the increased amount of food, its chances are better than in the seventies 

 and eighties. 



The foregoing leads to the conclusion that, notwithstanding artificial propagation, 

 the trout of the Rangeley Lakes has decreased to such an extent that there is not an 

 adequate supply, and it may be added that the game-fish supply falls short of the 

 demands, as indicated by the following quotation from the Maine Woods, September 

 17, 1914, page i: 



Mountain View House, Rangeley Lake, September 13: Last Monday Hon. Harry B. Austin, chair- 

 man of the Maine Fish and Game Commission, met several of the gentlemen at this hotel who are greatly 

 interested in having the best laws to help keep the fishing in this lake. All seem to realize there are 

 not as many fish or as good fishing now as a few years ago and that something more should be done, 

 and that soon, if the June and September fishermen are to continue to come to these lakes. July and 

 August the summer tourists now crowd this region, but they come not to fish but to live out in the 

 open, to tramp through the woods, drive over hills, play tennis and golf, spend their time on the hotel 

 piazza, but are not often fishermen. 



Since the foregoing was written, such data for 191 5 as was afforded by the Maine 

 Woods became available. For the entire open season the principal hotels and camps 

 reported 345 anglers whose catches were definitely recorded. The total catch of salmon 

 and trout, the individual weight, or the number and aggregate weight of which were 

 given, amounted to 645 in number, of which 549 were salmon and 96 were trout. The 

 average catch of both salmon and trout to each angler for the season was close to two 

 fish (1.86). Each secured an average of only about one and one-half salmon (1.59) 

 and something over one-fourth of a trout (0.28). 



As previously indicated, the salmon ranged from i to Syi pounds and averaged 

 about 3^ pounds in weight. The trout had the same range in weight but averaged a 

 little over 4 pounds each (4.09). 



These figures need no further comment than is suggested by the statement appear- 

 ing in the September 20 issue of the Maine Woods to the effect that anglers who fished 

 every day found far fewer fish than when they first came to the lake (Oquossoc) 20 

 years ago. 



Trout in the affluents and contiguous waters of Rangeley Lakes. — All 

 of the streams and ponds, large and small, discharging their waters into the Rangeley 

 Lakes are, or once were, inhabited by trout. In most of them the trout were permanent 

 inhabitants; in a few they appeared only periodically. In some the trout have been 

 depleted by overfishing or by other means, in some the introduction of salmon has had a 

 deleterious effect, and in others the trout fishing still remains satisfactory. The trout 

 of these waters vary in size and appearance according to the character of their habitat. 



<> The decline in the average weight of fish of 2 pounds and over seems mainly ascribable to the diminution in number of 

 trout of S pounds and over. 



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