TO SAVE THE MUSKALONGE. 



BEN S. DEAN. 



Jamestown, N. Y. 

 Editor Recreation: I hand you here- 

 with a picture of one of the magnificent 

 muskalonge which inhabit the waters of 

 Chautauqua lake, and which the Chautau- 

 qua Fish and Game Association seeks to 

 protect from the wanton destruction inci- 



A BIG MUSKALONGE. 

 Length, 50J inches ; girth, 26I inches ; weight, 39! pounds. 



dent to ice fishing, with coops, spears and 

 other contrivances. 



This fish was taken with a hook and line, 

 by one of our members, and weighed 39^4 

 pounds. It was 50^2 inches long, and had 

 a girth of 26^4 inches. 



For the past few years the state has been 

 engaged in artificial propagation, in the 

 waters of Chautauqua lake, with special 

 reference to the muskalonge; and there are 

 now large numbers of these fish which take 

 the hook readily, affording a liberal food 

 supply for the summer hotels and cottages. 



By the provisions of Chapter 705 of the 

 laws of 1897, forced through the legislature 

 at the demand of a few professional fish- 



ermen, these muskalonge may be taken 

 with spears, during the first 20 days of 

 February. Our association is seeking to 

 have this law amended, and to bring Chau- 

 tauqua lake under the operations of the 

 general law of this state; believing that in 

 this way only can the supply of muskalonge 

 be kept up. 



It is estimated by those who have 

 watched the denuding of these waters, on 

 former occasions, when spearing was per- 

 mitted, that at least 3,000 fishing coops, 

 each containing a man armed with a spear 

 and decoys, would be found on the ice with 

 the opening of February, on a body of 

 water about 20 miles long and from 2 to 3 

 miles wide. If this should prove true, no 

 doubt there would be literally tons of these 

 fish taken; and certainly 2 or 3 years of 

 this kind of fishing would leave the waters 

 of Chautauqua lake as barren as the Sahara 

 desert. 



The position taken by this association is 

 that Chautauqua lake is public water; that 

 it belongs, in common, to the people of the 

 state of New York, and that there is no 

 possible justification for making it subject 

 to a special statute, which enables the few, 

 within a short distance, to wantonly butch- 

 er and exterminate the game fishes which 

 have been developed in this lake at the ex- 

 pense of the people at large. The waters 

 are now sufficiently stocked, if the fish are 

 taken only in a legitimate manner, and 

 during the open season, as fixed for the 

 state, outside of Chautauqua county, to 

 afford an ample supply of fish food, and 

 ideal sport. The Chautauqua Fish and 

 Game Association, with a petition bearing 

 more than 4,000 names, will ask the legis- 

 lature to disregard local selfish interests, 

 to do its duty and to aid in the protection 

 of these fish. 



We believe this represents the real in- 

 terest, not alone of the state, but the im- 

 portant property interests surrounding 

 Chautauqua lake, as well as those of the 

 professional fishermen, who now seek to 

 kill the goose that lays the golden egg. 



We want every reader of Recreation, 

 by personal effort directed to the senator 

 and assemblyman from his district, to aid 

 us in this undertaking. We shall no doubt 

 be opposed by the leader of the majority 

 in the assembly, only one town of whose 

 district borders on this lake, but whose 

 concessions to politicians have prompted 

 him to identify himself with this policy. 



