134 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
They do not differ, in general character, from Spirit Lake, except that they are more 
shalloM" and have a more abundant vegetation. Little Spirit Lake is particularly well 
supplied with various species of aquatic plants and also with several species of valuable 
food-fishes, such as black bass, ring perch, wall-eyed pike, aud pickerel. 
South of Spirit Lake are East and West Okoboji, two lakes of considerable size 
and importance. East Okoboji is a long and very narrow lake, the width being about 
one-half mile and the length not less than 8 miles. This lake is separated from Spirit 
Lake by a narrow neck of land not over 300 feet wide at the narrowest point. West 
Okoboji Lake lies west of East Okoboji, with the southern end of which it is connected 
by a narrow, shallow channel. This lake is the largest and most important of the group. 
Among the almost innumei'able lake-groups of the northwest there is none pos- 
sessing a greater interest to the lover of angling than does that which centers about 
Spirit Lake and the two Okobojies. Both species of black bass, calico bass, ring perch, 
gray jiike, pickerel, and wall-eyed pike abound; and in the pure, clear, and cold waters 
they have attained a gaminess of disposition, a firmness of flesh, and a delicacy of 
flavor quite unknown to him who is acquainted only with the less gamy fishes of our 
warmer rivers and lakes. These lakes are situated in a beautiful country and are 
easily reached over either of two well-equipped railroads (the Burlington, Cedar Eapids 
and Northern, and the Chicago, Milwaukee and Saint Paul). Excellent hotel accom- 
modations can be had, and he who goes to Spirit Lake in quest of health and recreation 
in piscatorial sports will leave with regrets and resolves to return another year. 
Little Sioux River is the outlet to Spirit aud the Okoboji lakes. It flows through a 
prairie region, over a sandy or muddy bottom. At Cherokee at the time of our visit 
it was little more than a creek. Mill Creek, one of its small tributaries near Cherokee, 
is similar to the Little Sioux, only smaller. 
Storm Lake is at the head waters of the Raccoon, Boyer, and Little Sioux rivers, its 
outlet being in the first of these. It is in a prairie region aud has a very scanty growth 
of timber on its shore. The lake is comparatively shallow, not being over 15 or 20 
feet in depth, while a large share of it is less than 7 feet in depth. 
Mr. Ezra Ilurd, of Storm Lake, informs us that black bass are found iu the lake, 
but in small numbers, having been put there about five years ago. He also says that 
the largest fish iu the lake are the buffalo, catfish, eel, perch, redhorse, and what is 
called the black sucker. From the fact that he says the latter contains but few 
bones and is the best fish iu the lake, we take it to be the Missouri sucker Gycleptus 
elongatus. Aside from this fish, the pickerel {Lucius lucius) and the perch [Perea fla- 
•vescens) are the most important, and are found in great abundance. If the wall-eyed 
pike is found in the lake, it is very scarce. It seems strange that the best food and 
game fishes (wall-eyed pike and black bass) found in Spirit, Okoboji, and Clear lakes 
are not found iu Storm Lake or, if found at all, are vmry scarce. It may also be worth 
while to remark that the minnow hudsonius, is very abundant in Spirit, 
Okoboji, and Clear lakes, was not found in Storm Lake. 
Flogd River is a rather small stream iu northwestern Iowa. It empties into the 
Missouri River at Sioux City. The Floyd at Lemars is oidy a small creek. A dam 
across the stream at this point causes the water to back up and form a few small lakes. 
The bottom of the stream is sandy and muddy. The heavy rains previous to our visit 
made it difflcidt for us to seine above the dam, so most of our collecting was done in 
the stream just below the dam. At Sioux City the Floyd is some larger aud has a 
