60 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
UPPER KLAMATH LAKE, OREGON. 
In 1889 the United States Fish Commission planted 400,000 wliitefish fry ( Core - 
gonus clupeiformis) in the southern end of Upper Klamath Lake, near Klamath Falls. 
Ample time having elapsed to enable this species to become well established, observa 
tions were made by Messrs. Meek and Alexander for the purpose of determining the 
result of the plant. 
Pelican Bay was reached on the evening of October 31, and work was carried on 
in the upper part of the lake until November 7, when the camp was moved to the lower 
end of the lake near the outlet, where the investigations were continued until the 11th. 
During the time spent at this lake the weather was unusually stormy, and it was 
exceedingly difficult to carry on the investigations in a manner at all satisfactory. 
There were only two really good days for work during the entire time. 
For the purpose of determining the result of the whiteflsh plant gill nets of suitable 
mesh were set in various places in Pelican Bay and in the lower end of the lake. 
Collections of native fishes were also made, and as much time as possible was given to 
the study of the fish-food supply of the lake, which was found to be abundant and rich 
in species of Untomostraca, insect larvae, and other invertebrate life. 
The fish life of the lake does not consist of many species, but the individuals of 
several of the species are very numerous. These will be discussed fully in the list of 
fishes at the end of this report, but it seems proper to call attention in this connection 
to the suckers and trout. There are five or six species of suckers in this lake and 
each of them attains a large size, which renders them of great importance to the 
Indians on the Klamath Beservation. In the spring of the year, during the spawning 
time of these fish, vast numbers are caught in traps and by hook and line by the 
Indians and cured for future use. 
The trout are also very common and roach a very large size. Trout weighing 8 
to 10 pounds are not at all unusual, examples of 10 to 12 pounds are not rare, and 
occasionally oue weighs as much as 14 pounds. Trout can be taken readily with the 
fly in the spring and by trolling in the spring and fall. In Pelican Bay they may be 
taken by trolling at any time. 
The Klamath lakes comprise a series of lakes which extend in a north-and-south 
direction in southern Oregon and northern California. They lie just east of the 
Cascade Mountains, and are about 4,300 feet above sea level. Our investigations 
were limited to the largest of these lakes, known as Upper Klamath Lake. 
This lake is about 25 miles long and about 8 miles in average width. Its northern 
half extends in a northwest-and-southeast direction, while its southern half is nearly 
due north and south. It is quite irregular in outline, having on its western side two 
large bays, the upper of which forms the northwestern corner of the lake, and is 
known as Pelican Bay. About 2 miles west of Pelican Bay is a very large spring 
which forms a prominent creek emptying into the bay. The first half mile of this 
creek is about 50 to 100 feet wide and from 2 to 8 feet deep. After this it widens out 
into a large estuary, half a mile or more wide and more than a mile long. On the north 
this estuary is bordered by a hill, at the foot of which the water is as much as 17 feet 
deep. The rest of this estuary is bordered by a rich growth of tules and swamp 
grass. Its depth, except at the north end, seldom exceeds 7 feet, while the greater 
portion is less than 6 feet in depth. There are, especially on the east side of this 
estuary, many small narrow arms known as sloughs. These sloughs are about as 
