326 
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
just before the spawning season, is that they have two runs of smelt in that river, one of small 
fish and one of large fish, such as are mentioned by Dr. Smith; the large fish of the lake answer- 
ing to those known to run up the river. The landlocked smelt that I have caught in New Hamp- 
shire are much more slender, length for length, than the Champlain fish, showing that the latter 
are accustomed to rich pasturage probably not found in the lake. In Lake Champlain the large and 
small smelts are caught together, showing that the schools must mingle after they reach the lake, 
and they mingle in more than one way, for large smelts have been caught with small smelts inside of 
them, showing that the big fellows feed on their small brethren. One big smelt has been convicted 
of eating seven small ones at a single meal. 
It appears, however, that although general ignorance concerning the smelt 
prevailed, there were some who were better informed. Cheney’s discussion, just 
quoted, elicited from Bainbridge Bishop (1896) a reply that is so replete with inter- 
esting information concerning the smelt of Lake Champlain that it is quoted in 
full here. 
New Russia, N. Y . — Editor Forest and Stream: I am surprised at the article on Lake Cham- 
plain ice fish in your paper of March 28. I am afraid the anglers our friend Cheney interviewed 
were a stupid and a queer lot. While having the greatest respect for friend Cheney and his writ- 
ings (from what I have seen for the last twenty years), I beg to differ with him, and would say, be 
it known to all it may concern, that as a rule Lake Champlain smelt and herring do not migrate 
to salt water, but at the approach of summer retire to the deepest part of the lake, where they 
find 200 to 400 ft. of water. Here they stay at the bottom most of the time. When the broad 
lake freezes over they work up in shoaler water, where the fishermen take them through the ice. 
They are caught later in the winter at Port Henry, it being further away from the deeper part of 
the lake. 
I have seen smelt in the lake every month in the year, and have caught them in most of the sum- 
mer and fall months. While trolling off Cedar Beach in very deep water with a lake trout rig I 
caught a smelt 14 in. in length. This was in July. I was running a good-sized dace 150 ft. 
below the surface, using 1 lb. lead. Also in August while trolling I caught a lb. smelt in the 
middle of the lake opposite Westport, where I was running a minnow 200 ft. below the surface. 
When camping in August at Apple Tree Point, a little north of Diamond Island, I used to go out 
before sunrise to fish for wall-eyed pike in about 100 ft. of water. Very often the pike would chase 
and drive schools of smelt to the surface. They would leap out of the water by hundreds; they 
were fair-sized smelt. 
In September I was fishing on a reef far out in the lake opposite Westport. This reef has 18 
ft. of water on it, breaking off suddenly to 200 feet. A strong current was running from the deep 
water over the reef. Pike were biting finely. Once in a while the water would fairly boil close 
around the boat, caused by the smelt coming to the surface, driven up by large fish. Some of the 
pike threw smelt from their mouths after they were in the boat. Game protector Goper Liberty 
was with me at the time. Once while anchored on this reef in a still time with the current run- 
ning as before, suddenly I noticed great quantities of air bubbles rising to the surface all over the 
reef. This was a mystery, but it was soon solved by the appearance of thousands of smelt leaping 
from the water apparently disabled and in trouble. It seems that the current brought them up from 
deep water and the diminishing pressure expanded their air bladders to such a degree that it 
brought them to the surface in distress, notwithstanding that they expelled part of the air before 
they broke water. 
I have taken fair-sized smelts from the mouths and throats of wall-eyed pike all through sum- 
mer and fall months; this was when fishing in and near very deep water; and have frequently 
used smelt so taken for bait with good success. My friend, Samuel P. Avery, Jr., tells me that he 
picked up a dead smelt on the shore of his island at Button Bay. He went out on his favorite 
reef and with this single smelt caught five fine wall-eyes. Smelt are the natural food of wall-eyes 
in Champlain and make the best bait. I have never found smelt in black bass taken in Champlain 
Sometimes smelt come to the surface toward night, and in cloudy weather when the lake is 
still observing persons can see them swimming about in large schools, making a wide and curious 
