256 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
Payette Lakes . — The group of small lakes known as the Payette Lakes is situated 
at the head of the North Fork of Payette River in the northern end of Boise County, 
Idaho, about 125 miles north of Boise. There are three or four of the Payette Lakes, 
but the only one in which the redfish certainly occur is Big Payette Lake, which is at 
the head of the North Fork proper. This lake is quite irregular in form. Its greatest 
length is about 61 miles and its greatest width about 2 miles. Toward the upper or 
northern end there is a very narrow arm, about 2 J miles long, extending southeastward 
from the east side. The lake is surrounded by granite mountains, and its shores are 
for the most part precipitous and rocky. The water is clear and cold, the surface 
temperature at noon September 27 being 50°. In places where the bottom was of 
white sand we could easily see to a depth of 20 to 30 feet. Some soundings have been 
made, and the greatest depth found was 140 feet, though the depth is currently 
believed to be much greater. 
About 9 miles above Big Payette Lake is Upper Payette Lake, the outlet of which 
is the iidet to the larger lake. We examined the last 5 miles of this stream September 
27, and found it to average about 60 feet wide and 2 feet deep on the shallows, while 
in the numerous pools and quiet reaches depths from 5 to 20 feet are found. The 
water is exceedingly clear, and the bottom of coarse sand can be distinctly seen even 
in the deepest portions. The water is also very cold, the surface temperature from 
10 a. m. to 3 p. m. September 27 being 45°. 
The valley of this stream is apparently from 1 to 2 miles wide and is covered with 
a heavy evergreen forest, chiefly of Murray pine and Douglas fir. The immediate 
banks of the stream are covered in most places with a dense chaparral of willows, 
birch, cottonwood, and other low bushes. The stream is very tortuous in its course, 
and in many places is clogged by large amounts of logs and other drift material. The 
bottom in most places is of coarse white sand or fine white gravel. There are numerous 
shallows where the current is very swift, and usually below each is a deep, quiet pool. 
North Fork Payette River . — The outlet of the Payette Lakes is North Fork of 
Payette River, winch, flowing southward through Long Valley about 100 miles, joins 
the main river north of Boise; then, after flowing eastward for about 50 miles, it 
joins Snake River near the town of Payette. I examined this river through the 
first 4 miles of its course immediately below Big Payette Lake. The river here will 
average over 60 feet in width and 2 feet in depth. The current on the riffles was about 
1 foot per second. 
The water was, of course, very clear and cold. The temperature taken at four 
places September 26 when the air was 57° was 55°, 54.5°, 53°, and 53°, respectively. 
The bottom is of coarse sand in the deeper places, gravel where the current is swifter, 
and still coarser gravel and larger rocks where the current is swiftest. The banks are 
usually low and of gravel and sand. Murray pine is the principal tree in the valley, 
and there is a good deal of underbrush or chaparral. 
About 20 miles below Big Payette Lake the North Fork is joined by two streams 
of nearly equal size, from the left or east, known as Lake Fork and Gold Fork. At 
the head of Lake Fork is Little Payette Lake, a small lake only a mile or so east of 
Big Payette Lake and separated from it by a low rocky mountain. Redfish are not 
known to enter this lake. 
Gold Fork is a somewhat larger and colder stream coming down from the moun- 
tains farther east. 
