FOREST AND STREAM 
439 
The Steelhead vs. The Chinook 
Some Reasons Why The Former Fish Should Become Popular in the East 
Dr. Kendall's article, ‘‘The Chinook vs. other 
Salmonids,” which appeared in the February 14th 
number of Forest and Stream, will not be met 
with open arms by a considerable number of 
anglers who have lately become enthusiastic over 
its acclimatization into several eastern lakes. 
Still, the Doctor's arguments, when studied from 
every angle, appear reasonable, and for the most 
part practical. Of course his theory that this 
salmon would in time deplete the lakes of their 
enormous quantities of smelt, and by so doing de¬ 
stroy one of the lakes’ most valuable assets, can 
only be regarded as problematical. But his state¬ 
ments regarding the lack of suitable spawning 
grounds for natural reproduction; the totally in¬ 
adequate number of breeding fish that could be 
collected for artificial work, and the almost cer¬ 
tain necessity of bringing in fish from outside 
sources in order that the supply be maintained, 
must be accepted as more than visionary. 
The Bureau of Fisheries recently published a 
pamphlet covering Dr. Kendall’s investigations at 
Lake Sunapee, N. H., and the above mentioned 
article is really the substance of his report on the 
species under discussion. In this government 
document the Doctor pleads for the adoption of 
some method or methods of restocking, whereby 
the excellent fishing now enjoyed may be main¬ 
tained without detriment to Sunapee’s splendid 
native varieties. Of these the Sunapee saibling 
or “white trout” (Salvelinus aureolus ) stands 
first in importance, and experience has shown 
that this fish can and will increase in size and 
numbers when given reasonable protection, and 
that by artificial propagation the stock may be 
made self-sustaining. 
The spawning grounds of the white trout are 
the only ones that have remained unchanged with 
the passing years, and whose conditions are ap¬ 
parently just as ideal now as they were genera¬ 
tions ago. This cannot be said of the breeding 
grounds of either the native brook trout or of the 
land-locked salmon. Both these species require 
running streams for successful reproduction, and 
as the spawning season usually comes at a time 
when such streams contain little or no water, it 
is easy to see that only by domestication could suf¬ 
ficient quantities of eggs be secured for the re¬ 
newal of the stock. To discontinue the restock¬ 
ing of Lake Sunapee with any of the outside 
varieties, and to encourage the increase of its in¬ 
digenous fishes by protection and artificial cul¬ 
ture, would from a scientific point of view be an 
ideal proceeding. But how would such a change 
affect Mr. Angler? 
The recent popularity of Sunapee as a fishing 
resort has been due almost entirely to the number 
and size of the chinook salmon taken, and it is 
very doubtful whether an increase in the catch of 
aureolus could ever cause such enthusiasm as has 
been shown by the anglers since the introduction 
of the chinook. The average angler who fishes 
at Sunapee cares little for the fact that the white 
By W. M. Keil. 
trout is one of the most rare and beautiful sal¬ 
monids in the world. That scientists have 
wrangled for years, and are still quarreling, over 
its obscure origin is less important to him than 
the sporting qualities of the fish. And while he 
will acknowledge the aureolus as the equal of the 
salmon in fighting ability, its comparatively small¬ 
er size and uncertain capture make it a less desir¬ 
able species. 
What’s the most logical thing to do when two 
parties cannot agree to each other’s terms? Why! 
Split the difference, of course. Strike a happy 
medium so that neither side shall have the ad¬ 
vantage, and all will be lovely. The Bureau of 
Fisheries is satisfied that under the existing con¬ 
ditions the chinook salmon can never become 
more than a temporary resident of Lake Sunapee. 
The local and visiting anglers, guides, hotel 
keepers, etc., feel certain that a return to the old 
conditions would be unfair to them. Then why 
not get together and introduce a fish that will be 
agreeable to all? Such a fish is the steelhead 
trout of the Pacific Coast. Dr. Kendall highly 
recommends it. Dr. Quackenbos, who must be 
regarded as an authority on conditions at Suna¬ 
pee, speaks of it as more desirable than the 
chinook. And wherever the steelhead is native or 
has been introduced, anglers are loud in its praise 
as a wondeful food and game variety. 
This trout, like the salmon, lives part of its life 
in salt water, and only ascends the fresh water 
streams for the purpose of despositing its eggs. 
But it land-locks more readily into inland lakes 
than any other of the anadromous varieties, and 
where conditions are at all favorable, it grows to 
a large size. To stock Lake Sunapee with the 
steelhead would not be like trying out some new 
or unknown fish, for its habits, growth, reproduc¬ 
tion, edible and sporting qualities have been thor¬ 
oughly tested out at other places and found sat¬ 
isfactory. It is a beautiful, shapely, silver-colored 
fish; similar in appearances to the fresh run 
Atlantic salmon, although during the breeding 
season it takes on the brilliant color and mark¬ 
ings of its near relative—the rainbow trout. 
It is one of the hardest fighting salmonids in 
the world; leaps clear of the water repeatedly 
when hooked, and struggles long and viciously 
before allowing itself to be netted. In the spring 
and early summer, anglers will find this fish ready 
to take almost any of the usual trolling lures, or 
the artificial fly at such times as there are natural 
insects on the water. 
Aside from its many excellent food and game 
qualities, this fish has one highly desirable habit 
that lends itself admirably to the situation. In¬ 
stead of wanting to get up a stream (not having 
sufficient water) and spawn in the fall, nature has 
ordained that the steelhead wait until spring, 
when such streams are running full. The spawn¬ 
ing takes place from two to three weeks after the 
ice has gone out, usually about the same time as 
the run of smelts. The collection of eggs at this 
season of the year can be made with a better 
chance of success and less discomfort to the men 
that when carried out during the cold fall 
months. To the layman this may not mean very 
much, but to the experienced fish culturist it 
means a great deal. The fact that the eggs can 
be taken with little danger of chilling the vitellus 
in the pan, and the fish handled with fingers not 
numbed from cold, goes a long way toward better 
fertilization and a more vigorous hatch of fry. 
The incubation of the eggs and absorption of the 
umbilical sac requires only a few weeks, on ac¬ 
count of the rising temperature of the water. 
And as the steelhead fry are rapid growers, by 
fall they are not far behind the brook trout or 
salmon in size. Stock Lake Sunapee heavily for 
a couple of seasons with fair sized steelheads, 
and the writer would almost stake his life on the 
certainty that the Fish Commissions could col¬ 
lect fully a million eggs each spring, and that 
every angler would be as well, if not better, sat¬ 
isfied than they have been with the chinooks. 
