96 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 



Had it not been for the stocking of barren streams, almost all of the 

 rivers and creeks now furnishing good trout fishing would be devoid 

 of fish. Name any of tlie prominent summer resorts, such as Big Bear 

 Lake in southern California, Huntington Lake, Yosemite, The Pines, 

 and you will find that previous to planting operations no trout fishing 

 was to be had in the locality. The Bear Lakes, in San Bernardino 

 County, as a result of planting now afford recreation and are a food 

 supply to no less than 50,000 people annually, and improvements about 

 the lake represent an investment of not less than $1,000,000. 



Nine out of every ten persons summering at Bear Lake are interested 

 mainly in the splendid trout fishing. The lakes and streams of Siski- 

 you and Shasta counties, of the Feather River region, of the Tahoe 

 region, of the Yosemite region and of the upper regions of the San 

 Joaquin, Kings and Kern rivers, teem with trout simply because the 

 streams have been stocked. Several years ago the dams and lumber 

 mills along the Truckee River destroyed the run of black- spotted trout 

 in that stream. Had it not been for the introduction of other fish into 

 this stream, anglers would now find few fish. However, eastern brook, 

 Loch Leven and rainbow trout are now found in abundance in this 

 stream — not native fish, but introduced species. 



Not only have barren streams been stocked so that a new source of 

 sport and food is available, but the supply has been maintained by 

 constant planting. Depletion is to be noted wherever anglers are 

 abundant, and were it not for restocking, tlie supply in many places 

 would have failed long ere this. 



Although the maintenance of California's hatcheries is costly, yet the 

 output more than justifies the expense. The accompanying figures give 

 some idea of the annual output and the consequent benefit to the people 

 of this state: 



Compared with the figures given for the output of Eastern hatcheries, 

 it will be noticed that the number of fish reared is less. But it should 

 be borne in mind that Eastern states deal largely with inferior fishes, 

 producing large numbers of very small-sized eggs, whereas California 

 rears trout and salmon which have large eggs. The general public does 

 not sufficiently appreciate the accomplishments in this line of work. 

 Even the applicants are so accustomed to having their requests for 

 thousands and tens of thousands of trout fry met annually, and sub- 

 stantially as requested, that they little realize all the work and planning 

 it takes to produce the fish, or the sum of money necessary to rear the 

 millions of fish demanded. 



Sections of the state in the most remote recesses of the high Sierra, 

 which but a few years ago could be reached only by pack trains with 

 the assistance of hardy mountain guides and days and often weeks of 

 travel, are now reached in but a few hours from the main centers 

 of population by automobiles, over some of the finest highways in the 

 world. There can be but one result from such a condition of affairs, 

 and that is the practical destruction of fishing in the majority of the 

 waters of the state, unless the most stupendous efforts are put forth, 

 and at once, to conserve our game fishery resources and to increase the 



