KABLUK RIVER RED-SALMON INVESTIGATION 



13 



August 8. — On upper 2 miles of river saw very many king salmon, often milling around in 

 pairs. At foot of lake saw no large school of red salmon, such as was strikingly in evidence two 

 years ago. 



August 9. — Red salmon jumping all night outside Tent Point. Several dead males had drifted 

 up on the shore, and a few were constantly swimming up and down along the beach. A creek 

 enters at head of the bay on the northwest side of the point, 7 and many gulls were congregated 

 at its mouth. The point has coarse, gravelly shores and bottom. The gravel is displaced in 

 spots, but no definite nests have been observed. 



The morning is fine; sky hazy; a few fog wreaths across face of mountains. No wind. Air 

 57°, water 54°, at 8 a. m. Creek near point 48°. 



Visited creek above camp. About 2 or 3 feet wide and a mere trickle of water. Several hundred 

 salmon densely crowded off mouth. Occasionally one or two scuttled up the beach through the 

 trickle, the entire head and body exposed. The creek meanders through the low ground; bottom 

 small bowlders and cobbles; no good spawning beds. Last evening a flock of gulls camped continu- 

 ously on beach at mouth of creek, as though interested in eggs floating down. 



Photos taken of fish off mouth and of fish partly eaten by bears a short distance upstream, 

 where grass was trampled and evidence unmistakable of their presence last night or yesterday. 

 Spawning had been in progress along beach and off mouth of creek. 



Fitted Evinrude to boat and left for head of lake 9 a. m. Went directly out from Tent Point 

 to middle of lake and sounded with a depth of 181 feet. [Approximately 54 meters, agreeing with 

 our later measurements.] 8 



After sounding, started up at 9.30, following west shore to examine creeks. About half way 

 on west side is a creek (Grassy Point Creek) about 6 feet wide and now 6 inches deep, thickly beset 

 with dead and living fish. Temperature 48°. In the lowest 1,000 feet (paced) we counted 1,400 

 dead salmon, and estimated that side branches contained as many more (4,800 in all), and that 

 there are fully as many live salmon as dead ones. It is safe to say, counting those now preparing 

 to enter the mouth, that there are 10,000 fish spawning in the lower 1,000 feet of the stream. Appar- 

 ently about 1 mile of stream with spawning in progress, and probably 50,000 fish in all. 



Gulls were thick at mouth of creek and some were encountered higher up. They were feeding 

 on drifting eggs, which could be seen in every eddy. Creek bottom of coarse cobbles and gravel, 

 very hard, apparently not dug up. Seems impossible eggs could be buried, and loss must be 

 enormous. 



Halfway Creek is larger than Grassy Point Creek, 15 to 20 feet wide in places, steeper, with 

 swifter current, temperature 46°. Contains not half as many salmon, dead or alive. Bowlders 

 larger. Floating eggs numerous; a flock of gulls at mouth. Went upstream to falls, perhaps one- 

 fourth mile from mouth. These are impassable— may be 2,000 or 3,000 fish below them. Fewer 

 dead fish, proportionately, than in Grassy Point Creek. 



Sounded in middle of lake, opposite Tree Point, obtaining depth of 405 feet [121 meters, agree- 

 ing exactly with later measurements]. 



At 2.40 p. m. reached a stream entering from southwest [Meadow Creek], at projecting point 

 in south arm near head. Stream 10 to 15 feet wide, full of live and dead fish, containing probably 

 more salmon than any other stream seen to-day. Gentle ascent, temperature 47°. The creek was 

 explored for over half a mile and found fish thick all the way. Found no falls. 



7 This is a small creek, shown on the map, but has been given no name. It may be called Tent Point Creek. 



' The method by which these soundings were made is thought worthy of record. A number of spools of stout linen thread were 

 provided, each marked as containing 100 yards. This measurement, on test, was found to be quite accurate. A number of small 

 lead weights, weighing about one-half pound each, also were on hand. When a sounding was to be made, a weight was tied to the 

 thread of one of the spools and let down to the bottom, while the boat was kept in position so that the thread led down vertically. 

 The unreeling of the thread was made easy by inserting a heavy wire nail through the spool and allowing the spool to turn freely on the 

 nail. When the weight had reached bottom the thread was broken off at the water line, the spool marked so that it could be 

 later identified, and the thread left on the spool measured. The difference between this amount and 100 yards gave the depth 

 at the point where the sounding was made. In cases where the depth was greater than 100 yards a second spool was used 

 and the thread tied to the end of the thread of the first spool. The amount left on the second spool subtracted from 200 yards 

 gave the required depth. The results obtained by this method have checked so consistently with those secured in 1926 through 

 the use of a regulation fathom wheel that it is safe to say that the accuracy of the method here described compares very favorably 

 with the customary methods of sounding. 



