84 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 



length from one-fourth to one-haif mile. Tlie creeks are all short, but 

 carry a large amount of granitic sand caused by the disintegrated 

 granite formation through which these streams flow. These creeks had 

 been filling up for several years, until in the spring of 1919 it was 

 almost impossible for the breeding trout to enter them, as the water 

 was spread over such a wide area of sand deposits that the fish could 

 not find water of suificient depth for them to swim in. In order to 

 open these channels so that the fish could enter the streams and reach 

 the traps, teams and scrapers were hired and the channels excavated 

 through the sand deposits so that the water would have sufficient depth 

 at the mouth of the creeks. The spawning area above the traps is so 

 small that it does not justify allowing any of the fish to spawn natur- 

 ally. The streams nearly all dry up before the eggs are hatched, even 

 if they are allowed to ascend the streams and deposit their eggs. The 

 majority of the eggs deposited by the breeders l^elow the traps do not 

 hatch, as they are covered over with the sand that packs so tight over 

 the eggs that they are smothered. Consequently the stock of fish in 

 Bear Lake must be kept up by artificial propagation almost entirely. 



Years ago, when the lake was first stocked, the sand deposits were not 

 so great, as the flood waters scoured the streams out each season; but 

 during the last five or six years the sand has accumulated to such an 

 extent that the creeks must be kept open by removing the sand every 

 two or three years so that the fish can reach the traps. 



Bear Lake has an abundance of natural feed for the trout. Besides 

 the minnows there are a great many varieties of aquatic insects that 

 abound in the lake in great numbers. During the last three seasons of 

 drought these insects have increased, so that it is safe to say that there 

 is not another body of water of equal size anywhere that has the same 

 amount of natural food for trout. 



SNOW MOUNTAIN EGG-COLLECTING STATION. 



The Snow Mountain Egg-collecting Station was established in 1907. 

 Early in the season of 1915 the commission secured a lease on the Cape 

 Horn dam from the Snow Mountain Water and Power Company for 

 one year, with the option of an additional five years. This lease gave 

 the commission the use of the grounds and buildings, as well as the 

 privilege of constructing tanks, traps, etc., on the land described in 

 the Snow Mountain Egg-collecting Station lease. The dam that makes 

 it possible to collect the fish is located on the south fork of Eel River, 

 about twenty-five miles from Ukiah, Mendocino County. All the steel- 

 head trout that ascend this branch of Eel River are easily trapped in 

 the fishway over the dam. A small battery of hatching troughs was 

 installed and holding pens for the spawning fish were provided. As 

 the fish ascend the fish ladder they are automatically trapped and 

 swim directly into the holding pens, from which they can not escape. 

 It is a very cleverly arranged scheme, and in addition to being a saving 

 by eliminating a great deal of work, lessens the loss of fish from han- 

 dling. Snow Mountain station is one of the best steelhead egg-collecting 

 stations on the coast. 



