FISH. 
377 
quality ; this same fish, in many other lakes, is considered coarse 
and tasteless, but here it is frequently met with very delicate and 
rich, and it finds great favor with epicures. It varies very much, 
however, with individuals, one being very fine, another quite in- 
different. The salmon-trout, in the form we know it, is said to be 
almost peculiar to our New York lakes ; at least this same variety 
is not found in Canada, nor farther south than Silver Lake, just 
beyond the borders of Pennsylvania.* Our fishermen say the 
best time for trout fishing is during the last ten days of Novem- 
ber ; they are taken, however, at all seasons, but are more common 
in cool weather. The largest taken here is said to have Aveished 
thirty pounds, and others twenty-five and twenty-seven pound.s ; 
within the last dozen years we have seen them Aveighing sixteen 
and tAvelve pounds, but fish of this size have noAv become A'ery 
rare. They are caught Avith the seine or Avith baited hooks, and 
are sometimes speared. Some years since, seven or eight hun- 
dred were taken at one haul of the seine. In Avintcr, the lake is 
well sprinkled with baited hooks, sunk through small openings in 
the ice, and fine salmon-trout are often taken in this Avay. 
The pickerel fishing also becomes more active at this season ; 
lights are seen noAv, every evening, passing to and fro along the 
shores, to attract the pickerel, and a v'cry pretty sight they are. 
The pickerel is said not to extend beyond the Great Lakes. The 
largest caught here have weighed seA^en pounds. 
The perch — the yelloAV perch — is also common'in our lake ; the 
largest are said to have weighed between three and four pounds. 
Besides these our fishermen take eels, dace or roach, suckers, cat- 
Dr. De Kay’s Report on the Fishes of Noat York. 
