SALMON INVESTIGATIONS IN IDAHO IN 1895. 
189 
To-day a careful count was made of all tbe redfisli in Alturas Inlet and the total numher fouiid 
was about 1,000. The lower 1-|- miles of the creek had about 300 hsh ; the next 11 miles contained about 
twice as many, while the remaining portion of the stream contained only aljout 100 tish. Those in tbe 
lower portion were mostly in excellent condition; most of them were in the deeper holes and only a 
few were seen spawning. These are pretty certainly the lish which have last come into the creek. 
Those in the middle portion of the creek were either ont in shallow water spawning or were spent tish 
which had retired to the pools. Fully one-half, irerhaps two-thirds, of the entire number were plainly 
seen to be mutilated. The tish in the u])per part of the stream were nearly all done spawning and 
many of them were weak and dying and drifting down with the current. Scarcely a lish could be 
seen here that was free of mutilations and sores. 
SejiiemherS: Net 15 had 2 spent males lodged against the upper side; both were covered with 
mutilations. Net D contained 12 tish, 7 going up and 5 down; of those going up 5 tvere females and 
2 males, all solid; those going down were 2 dead males, 3 nearly dead spent males, and 1 ripe temalo 
which had ])robably turned in the net; the 5 males going down were much mutilated. Later in the 
day a 28-iuch male weighing 61 pounds was taken in net 13 ; this fish was ripe and in perfect condition, 
except a slight mutilation on the branchiostegals. 
September 9: Net B had 10 fish, 6 going up and 4 down; those going up were 2 ripe females and 4 
nearly sjrent males; those going down were 3 very sore spent males, lodged against the net and 1 
almost spent female. 
Net 1) contained 10 fish, 7 going up and 3 down. Those going up were 3 males and 4 females, all 
ripe and in perfect condition; the 3 going down were 1 dead male and 1 dead female lodged, and 1 
nearly dead female, all spent and mnch rvorn. Net D rvas taken up to-day. 
September 11: Net B contained 16 fish; 1 ripe male and 1 ripe female going np ; 13 males and 1 
female, all spent and sore, going down and merely lodged against the net except 2 males which were 
gilled. These were all very badly worn, some of them having the caudal almost entirely worn away. 
September IS: Net B had 13 lish, 12 males and 1 female, all going dorvn; 7 were dead and lodged, 
and all but 4 of the 13 were badly mutilated. In the evening this net was again examined and 8 fish 
found, 5 of them gilled from the upper side and 3 merely lodged ; 4 were in pretty good condition but 
spent; all of the other 4 were spent and much worn, 2 being dead and the others nearly so. An inspec- 
tion of the last 2 miles of the inlet to-day showed a great decrease in the number of redfisli, and that 
nearly all that are left are more or less covered with sores. 
September 13: The creek has risen about 2 feet on account of heavy rains. The nets were not 
relieved of their catch, but 8 or 10 lish could be seen lodged against Net B. 
September 14: Net B had 14 fish lodged against it this morning, 12 males and 2 females; 3 or 4 
of the males w^ere well gilled, while all the others were gilled only slightly or not at all; all but 
3 were dead and all bur 2 or 3 were badly worn. To-day the entire creek wuis examined again, 
and the total number of live lish found was about 263, of which 26 were between tbe lake and our 
camji, 137 in the next miles, and about 100 still farther up. The great majority seemed to be males ; 
indeed, of the 137 seen by Mr. Scofield only 18 were believed to be females. Spawning aiipeared to be 
practically at an end; nearly all the lish were badly mutilated; nearly all were lying quietly in the 
deeper, more quiet ijortions of the stream or were being slowly carried down by the current. A dozen 
dead ones, all males, were seen, and it is evident that many others were nearly dead. On September 7 
the total number seen was about 1,000; there was, therefore, a decrease of nearly 750 lish in a week. 
A few days more and all will probably have died. 
September 15: Net B contained 1 large redfisli and 4 small ones; the large one was a male in line 
condition and only partly spent. All the small ones were males, all spent and sore, 1 dead and 
lodged against the net, the other 3 gilled from above. Net D at the mouth of the inlet was iiut in 
again to-day. 
September 15: Net B had 3 dead lish lodged against it. 
September IG: Net B had 9 fish on upper side, 7 males and 2 females; all were sjient and 5 were 
dead. Net D contained nothing. The entire inlet was inspected again to-day, and only 213 fish 
found. The lower 2 miles contained 105 fish, and all the rest of the creek 108 ; 14 dead ones were seen. 
Of the 108, only 13 appeared to be females. The fish were nearly all badly mutilated. All were 
apparently done spawning and many were dying. 
September 17: Net B had 10 fish lodged and 2 gilled from ujjper side ; 11 were males and 1 a female, 
all spent, all with uumerons sores and mutilations, and 9 dead. Net D had 1 dead spent female gilled 
from above. All its fins were frayed out. This net has now been in two nights, and not a fish has 
been canght going up. This morning Mr. Fred Ashley, rvho was camped near us, saw 2 large male 
redfisli in Alturas Lake swimming along the west shore. I visited the place in the afternoon, and saw 
1 large redflsh. He was swimming along near shore in shallow water. After going up a few rods, he 
would turn around and swim down the shore about the same distance, only to return up the shore 
again. This fish was in excellent condition, and is the only redfish I have ever seen in any of these 
lakes. 
September 18: Net B had 7 fish, 6 males and 1 female, all lodged except 2, which were gilled going 
down. All were spent and mutilated, and all but 3 males. Net D contained nothing. To-day camp 
was moved to Alturas Creek opposite Pettit Lake. 
September 22: Net B, which had not been visited since 18th instant, contained 17 fisli, all lodged or 
slightly gilled on the upper side. There were 14 males and 3 females, all dead but 1 male and 2 females. 
All were spent, and all very much mutilated except 1 live male and 1 live female. Net D contained 
nothing. An inspection of about 11 miles of the lower part of the creek showed only 5 live fish, but 
several dead ones were seen. The spawning season is evidently wholly over, and only a very fetv 
weak, dying fish are left. 
