FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 



J'-'O 



the immediate direction of Mr. Monroe A. Green. Although the work was not 

 begun until rather late in the spring it resulted in the development of successful 

 methods and the hatching of 75,ocxD fry which were planted in the lake. This is 

 believed to be the first successful attempt to hatch the muskallunge by artificial 

 methods, and the work has been continued with increasing success every year since 

 that date, as shown bv the following tabular statement : 



1890 

 1891 

 1892 



1893 

 1894 



1895 

 1896 



1897 

 1898 



YEAR. 



NUMBER FRY 

 HATCHED. 



> NUMBER PLANTED 

 I IN CHAUTAUQUA 

 LAKE. 



75,000 

 1,750,000 

 1,360,000 

 2,150,000 

 2,970,000 

 2,480,000 

 1,815,000 

 3,075.000 

 2,650,000 



18,325,000 



75,000 



1,750,000 

 1,260,000 

 1,150,000 

 1,970,000 

 1,700,000 

 1, 000,000 



1,815,000 



900,000 



NUMBER PLANTED 

 ELSEWHERE. 



11,620,000 



100,000 

 1,000,000 

 1,000,000 

 780,000 

 815,000 

 1,260,000 

 1,750,000 



6,705,000 



New York was the first State to undertake the hatching of muskallunge artificially, 

 and is the only one that now does it, except AMsconsin. And it has only been by 

 this artificial propagation that the supply of these fish has been kept up. In 

 about two years after hatching was begun at Chautauqua there was a perceptible 

 increase in the number of muskallunge taken by the fishermen. Since then the 

 supply has kept about normal, and it is not now known that the number has 

 increased or decreased in the past few years, but it is known that there is no better 

 place in the world to angle for this fish than at Lake Chautauqua. 



As a game fish the Chautauqua Lake muskallunge is, by many, held in very high 

 esteem. Though it may not be a great game-fish in the best sense, its size, which is 

 often enormous, renders its capture and landing by means of hook and line an 

 undertaking b}- no means devoid of exertion and interest. 



It is usually taken by trolling either v/ith a spoon or good-sized minnow. At 

 the time of our visit to this lake, the last week in September, the spoon seemed to 

 be chiefly in use by the local anglers. A comparatively short line was used, and the 



