COMMON FISHES OF MISSISSIPPI RIVER 
203 
collected, chiefly the little blue-spotted sunfish, Lepomis cyanellus (Rafinesque), and the 
small orange-spotted sunfish, L. humilis (Girard). 25 The common black bass of the 
region is, as would be expected, the large-mouth; but at least two examples of the 
sm all -month black bass, Micropterus dolomieu (Lacepede), were observed. All of 
these are undoubtedly present all the year. 
The first question stated above was this: Does the dam at any time obstruct 
essential upstream migrations of the members of the sunfish family? Because of the 
conspicuously anadromous habit of certain kinds of fish, such as the shad and the 
salmons, and possibly because of the fact previously referred to that other fishes 
sometimes congregate at the base of falls, there exists a widespread general feeling, 
if not a faith, that all fish must engage each year in extensive upstream migrations. 
We know not a single observation of any kind to suggest that such extensive migra- 
tions are an essential feature of the life history of any of the fish of this family. Crap- 
pie, sunfish, and bass are at home not only in rivers but also in lakes and in ponds, 
both large and small, where they thrive and reproduce year after year without the 
possibility of long migrations. When in rivers, no doubt, there is some downstream 
drifting during periods of relative inactivity and a compensatory upstream trend at 
times of active life in the current. There may, in many cases, be a certain leakage, 
as it were, from the fish supply of the upper water as fish drift unintentionally over 
the dam, and the leakage may require compensation. 
Persistent observations failed to give any ground for the supposition that there 
is any considerable drainage of fish over the dam. (Coker, 1929, p. 95.) Such obser- 
vation could not, of course, be continuous, and it is possible that fish pass over the 
dam. We would think it a desirable condition, indeed, that there should be some 
overflow into the river below of the game fish reared in the lake above. The most 
diligent observation and inquiry during a period of two years failed also to reveal any 
evidence of aggregation of bass or sunfish below the dam or other signs of notable 
upstream movement. The dam as an obstructive factor for sunfish and bass may be 
disregarded. 
Regarding the lake as an environment for bass and sunfish, extended discuss on 
would seem superfluous. Everyone knows that these fishes are adapted to life in 
lakes and ponds, and there could not well be any other expectation than that an in- 
creased area of water, much of which would be without strong current and fairly 
stable in level, would bring increased numbers of such fish. Bass were locally re- 
ported to have been particularly abundant in parts of the lake about 1916, a condi- 
tion that is not uncommon in new lakes when young. Reference may be made to 
discussions in a previous paper (Coker, 1929, p. 126.) 
As seen from the statistical data presented in the paper just cited, a commercial 
fishery for crappie and bass has been developing in the lake, but as the commercial 
fishery for these species is generally discouraged 26 no great development in this line 
is to be expected. Many persons living about the lake have testified to the author of 
the better fishing for such fish since the lake was formed. 
A factor that will mitigate seriously against the full development of the fish- 
cultural possibilities of the lake is the reclamation of outlying submerged lands for 
purposes of agriculture. Not only is the area of the lake being thus greatly reduced 
29 The warmouth and some other species escaped notice but could undoubtedly be found. 
29 A recent act of tbe Congress restricts the shipment of black bass in interstate commerce. Iowa and Illinois limit the areas in 
which game fish may be taken in nets. 
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