T?IE SALMON AND SALMON FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 
1G9 
black volcanic mud and probably tbe result of filling an old lake bed, which may have 
formed another lake connection in early times. The second lake is nearly of equal 
size with the first, but is shallow, with muddy bottom, the water here inclining to be 
muddy, while the water iii the first lake is clear. A large part of the banks are low, 
but there are some bluff's ou the northern side which continue some distance. A 
number of small streams enter the lake, and one of considerable size Hows in from 
the northwest. 
The redfish in immen.se numbers are said to spawn along the shore shelf of the 
first lake and in the mouths of the entering streams. A few redfish and more cohoes 
make their way into the second lake. Bog salmon and humpbacks spawn in these 
lakes, but they also enter the small streams that fiow into the lagoon. Sculpins, 
perch, and other fresh-water fish occur. In the stream above the traps there are 
no obstructions. Formerly fishing was carried on over the spawning-beds, but this 
method is now abandoned. While all the species of Pacific salmon enter the lagoon 
and river, yet those other than redfish are so few in number that they are not consid- 
ered in the pack. In relative abundance they stand as follows: Redfish, humpbacks, 
cohoes, dog, and king. No steelheads are taken here. 
Chiguik River is essentially a redfish stream, and the canneries may be said to 
pack only redfish. Occasionally a few humpbacks are packed, but they are obtained 
principally from streams between Tuliumnit Point and Kupreanof Point. The pack 
of king and cohoes never exceeds a few hundred cases from Ohignik River. The few 
that are taken are generally used on the cannery table and the bellies salted for home 
use, while the backs maybe packed under some different brand. Other fish are taken 
to a small extent. 
The run of redhsh commences the first days of June (a few were taken in 1897 for 
local use ou May 15), and continues until the last of August. The run is usually con- 
sidered large enough to pack from the middle of June to the middle of August. 
Cohoes run from the ndddle of July until after the cannery closes; the watchmen say 
until November. Humpbacks run from July 2(1 to September 1, and dog salmon about 
the same time, though both are found scattering throughout the season. The king 
salmon run in vei'y small numbers, and are taken about the same time as the redfish. 
A very small salmon, weighing about 2 pounds, is recogidzed here as a different 
species, and called the Arctic salmon, but it is probably only a small redfish. 
The weighing of 109 redfish from the bin gave the following results : Average G.24 
pounds, heaviest 10 jrounds, lightest 4 pounds; average length 24 inches, largest 28 
inches, smallest 21 inches. The red salmon in 1897 were said to run very small, 12 to 
the case; in 1890 they were larger, about 10 to the case. 
One hundred cohoes were also weighed : Average 0.44 irounds, heaviest 10 pounds, 
lightest 24 jiounds; only one of each of these extremes, and a better range wonld be 
from 44 to 9 irounds. Average length 23^ inches, greatest 28 inches, least 18 indies- 
The cohoes were running very small at the time of our visit, as it was the early part 
of the run, July 29. 
The dog salmon run larger; that is, the average is higher, as there seemed to be 
few small ones. The humpbacks averaged about 3^ pounds in weight. The average 
weight of the king salmon at Chignik is uidfiiown, but they were said to run very 
small for that species, though individuals weighing 00 pounds are reported to have 
been taken. 
