^3^ tioosevelt Wild Life Bulletin 



dom captured by angling should be taken out by commercial fisher- 

 men and put on the market as food for the community. If all pike 

 over twenty-eight inches long were so captured there would un- 

 doubtedly be many more pike even above the average size, enabling 

 the pike fisherman to better satisfy his desire for angling. It is 

 known that pike first spawn when eighteen to twenty inches long 

 and about three years old, therefore, a pike of twenty-eight inches 

 will have spawned at least once and more probably twice or even 

 three times, before it is large enough to be taken commercially." 



Without considering the question of the practicability of regulat- 

 ing the size limit of the pike in the commercial fishery, it may be 

 said that some of the points stated in favor of the recommendation 

 are well taken. There may be a question, however, concerning the 

 number of large pike in the lake. If they are very numerous why 

 are not more of such " voracious fish of prey " taken by anglers? 



It is a well-known fact that the proportion of overgrown fish to 

 those of smaller sizes in any body of water is always small, and 

 their number depends in great measure upon the extent of waters 

 suitable to the species. 



It may be true that the smaller fish of the pike family, and parti- 

 cularly yellow perch, would increase in number, but it may be a 

 question as to the effect of such increase on the balance- of life in the 

 lake. Isn't it possible that increase in number of perch may result 

 in decrease of some other organism upon which some other valuable 

 fish depends for its maintenance — even the pike itself ? It is quite 

 possible that the value of the very large pike in the economy of the 

 lake if it has any, is in the reduction of such forms that devour 

 the food of young pike. But it is also commonly accepted as a fact 

 that the very old fish are inferior in reproductive capacity, notwith- 

 standing the large number of eggs produced. It may be that the 

 elimination of the old fellows would give the younger breeders an 

 advantage which would result in an increase in number and in better 

 conditioned pike. However, this is all speculation, and speculation 

 in this instance at least, except to indicate the necessity of investiga- 

 tion, is rather futile. 



As concerns the Lake George pike situation Embody's suggestion 

 applies only in reference to the size of the pike. It appears that 

 at present the very large, old pike do not exist there, and those still 

 found are comparatively small. So the big pike factor is eliminated 

 at least for a few years. 



Mr. Titcomb's reasons for his recommendation are stated as 

 follows : 



" The pike of Lake George, locally called ' pickerel,' is the great 

 northern pike which occasionally attains a weight of thirty to forty 

 pounds, but in Lake George a weight of twenty pounds would be 

 very rare. Tarleton H. Bean, in * Fishes of New York,' mentions 

 individuals of sixteen and seventeen pounds, and tells of more than 

 thirty examples averaging in excess of ten pounds, each of which 

 was taken from the waters of Lake George during the season of 



