ACCLIMATIZATION OF FISH IN THE PACIFIC STATES. 
445 
Regarding the outcome of the plants of bass in Washington waters, Mr. Alex- 
ander reports that as far as he has been able to learn nearly all the bass are thriving 
and are in a fair way to soon become plentiful enough to give the anglers sport and 
supply many tables with food. 
Clear Lake, 14 miles from Spokane, is one of the waters in which the United 
States Fish Commission has deposited bass, plants being made in 1892 and 1895. In 
August, 1895, Mr. William Barnum, of the Commission, visited this lake and found 
the fish abundant. Silver Lake, about 2 miles distant, has also been successfully 
stocked, and bass were numerous in 1895. Otter Lake, a small lake in the vicinity, 
was privately stocked with fish from Clear and Silver lakes in 1894. The question of 
stocking Medical Lake with bass from Clear Lake has been under discussion for some 
time, and several plants of fish have been made. The peculiar character of the water 
in Medical Lake, however, is thought by some to militate against the success of the 
experiment. King Lake, near Medical Lake, has also been planted with bass from 
one of the neighboring lakes. In 1895 black bass were reported abundant in Loon 
and Washington lakes. 
No information as to the outcome of planting bass in Nevada has been received 
since 1892. Up to that time the fishermen of Carson River and Washoe Lake had 
taken no fish, according to the State fish commissioner’s report. 
Mr. W. H. Ridenbaugh, of Boise, Idaho, has a pond connected with the Boise 
River, 1£ acres in extent, in which large-mouth bass are abundant. Another pond of 
2£ acres was drawn off in 1892, and 2,240 bass, averaging half a pound each, were 
placed in the Boise River. No fishing has as yet been done in the river, and it is not 
known how the fish are flourishing. The eventual stocking of the Snake and Colum- 
bia rivers from this stream is not improbable. Mr. Ridenbaugh has never heard of 
any bass being caught by anglers or in any other way in the Boise River. He has 
watched for them in the irrigation ditches, especially after a break, when the water 
was low, but has never seen one, and is inclined to believe that the fish have gone 
down the Boise River into the Snake River. The latter is sluggish and deep in places, 
and apparently well suited to bass. Mr. Ridenbaugh thinks it will one day be a great 
bass stream. 
Under date of December 21, 1895, Mr. Ridenbaugh informs the Commission that 
his first stock of black bass was obtained in St. Joseph, Mo., and shipped to Boise by 
express. The lot consisted of 50 fish about 6 inches long. These were placed in his 
smaller pond eight years ago, and during the last four years he has caught annually 
about 00 fish, weighing 1 to 1 ^ pounds. The larger pond was stocked with small fish 
from this pond and with bass received from the United States Fish Commission. 
Large-mouth black bass are now exceedingly abundant in Utah Lake, Utah, the 
lake having been stocked by the single plant in 1890. The economic result of this 
successful introduction is more important than in any other State. 
The large-mouth bass reaches a greater weight than the other species; in the 
Great Lakes, Mississippi Valley and -Eastern States, the maximum is about 8 pounds, 
but in the warm southern waters a weight of 15 or more pounds is attained. The 
maximum weight of the small-moutli form is about 5 pounds. 
As yet there is little occasion on the part of fishermen and anglers in the Western 
States to know the characters distinguishing the two species of basses, since only one 
of them has been planted in a given locality; but as the fish receive a wider distribu- 
tion by natural and artificial means the two kinds will in time be sometimes found in 
