Fish, Fishing and Fisheries of Pennsylvania. 81 



CHAPTEE XIV. 



Trout Stbeams op the State. 



To the majority of anglers, trout streams probably excite the greatest 

 interest. In the number of water ways containing this great game fish, 

 Pennsylyania admittedly takes the lead, and through the efforts of the 

 state commission, seconded by the intelligent work of numerous fish 

 protective associations, others, for many years barren of trout, are being 

 added annually. It is true that for a long time this species of fish in 

 the waters of the commonwealth have been reputed to be on the average 

 smaller than those caught in some other states, but this has been due 

 rather to over fishing than to any defect in either the fish or trouble 

 with the element in which they live. Through the efforts of the fish 

 commission, and through a better enforcement of beneficient laws, this 

 slight drawback, not only to thorough enjoyment of angling but full 

 value as a food product, is being removed, and at the present time the 

 average catches compare favorably as to size with those taken elsewhere. 

 Even were this not the case, and the average size of the trout caught 

 annually were not increasing, this slight defect would be more than 

 counterbalanced by the remarkable brilliancy of their coloring. Those " 

 caught in Maine, New York and West Virginia are far inferior in this 

 respect, while of the other states only the trout taken from the waters 

 of Vermont can approach those of Pennsylvania in beauty of hue. 



Not only are the streams more numerous and the trout in them more 

 beautifully marked and tinted, but, taken as a whole, the surroundings 

 of the former are unsurpassed, generally unequalled in picturesque sur- 

 roundings. So famous are they in this respect, that multitudes of an- 

 glers are attracted from other statea noted for the prolific nature of their 

 trout streams to the marked financial benefit of the people of the com- 

 monwealth. 



The attention given by the fish commission to stocking the streams of 

 the state with brook trout is looked upon by many as a useless expense. 

 They argue that this species of fish is valuable rather for sporting pur- 

 poses than for general food uses, though admittedly one of the most de- 

 licious in flavor of the denizens of the fresh water. But a moments 

 thought will show how erroneous this idea is. By keeping the streams 

 plentifully stocked, anglers brought by the fame of the beauty of the 

 country are induced to come again from the sport they obtain. There 

 followers of the gentle art leave much money in the commonwealth, and 

 take nothing away, except, perhaps a few fish. Indeed in many sections 

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