Seine 90, 
REPORT OF THE FISH AND GAME COM MISSION. ae 
Bear Lake Hatchery was operated in 1916 and 1917, producing 
750,000 and 874,000 rainbow trout fry, respectively, for distribution in 
Big Bear Lake and streams of San Bernardino County. The equip- 
ment for extensive egg-collecting operations at this station was inade- 
quate, and we, therefore, decided that it was essential to make a number 
of improvements. Before undertaking this work, the writer made a 
personal investigation and complete survey of the entire Bear Lake 
situation. Following is the complete report of findings : 
_ “On May 28, we proceeded to Bear Lake to investigate the cause of a large run of 
fish in North Creek. 
“On arrival, we found that the lake had risen about seven feet since last season, 
and that the advancing littoral or shore-line had covered the spawning beds at the 
mouths of the four small streams that enter the lake. The area of spawning ground 
on these creeks is very limited. The lake is 8 miles long and from a mile to a mile 
and a half in width. Its greatest depth is 80 feet at the dam. From this point for 
a distance of two miles, the depth is about 60 feet. Then it gradually grows more 
shallow toward the head of the lake. 
_ “The lake is fed by the rain and snow that falls on its watershed. The watershed 
is small, as the crest of the surrounding mountains will not average five miles distant 
from the lake shore. During the spring and early summer, the lake is fed by these 
four small streams, the largest of which is North Creek. It is a rocky stream, 
flowing through a narrow canyon in its upper reaches, and is about two and one-half 
miles in length. The mouth of the stream at present is about one-half mile farther 
up the creek-bed than it was last season, due to the advancing shore-line caused by 
the filling of the lake. From the present mouth of North Creek, the shore line of the 
lake in 1915 is about one-half mile distant. This area was in former years the 
principal spawning ground for the trout in this creek. Above the present shore-line 
the canyon narrows and is filled with large boulders; it is not suitable for spawning 
beds. The other creeks present 2 similar condition. 
“This short stretch below the rocky formation constitutes the base of the surround- 
ing hills, and is composed of glacial sand and gravel. The glacial moraine extended 
to the present boundaries of the lake, and this formation made excellent spawning 
grounds which are now covered by the lake to such a depth that fish will not spawn 
there at present. 
“From the shore-line of 1915 to the present mouth of North Creek, the stream 
formerly flowed betwen two low ridges, the distance betwen them widening as the 
lake was approached. The water from the lake now fills this gap, forming an arm or 
bay — is about 150 yards wide at its mouth and extends for one-half mile up the 
creek. 
“North Creek on May 28, 1917, had about five second-feet of water flowing into this 
bay, and as this bay is opposite the deepest water of the lake where the large fish 
congregate during the winter months, and as the mouths of all the other creeks are, 
or have been obstructed by sandbars, as a result nearly all the spawning fish in the 
lake entered this bay and attempted to ascend North Creek to spawn. ‘There were a 
few at or near the mouths of the other streams, but these being obstructed and North 
Creek being open and accessible through this bay just described, it attracted a great 
majority ot the spawning fish in the lake this season. 
“Our attention was called to this phenomenal run of fish on May 16, by Mr. L. 
Phillips, foreman in charge of our station, who gave an interesting report on the 
number of fish in this bay. On my arrival, May 28, I estimated that there were 
between 5,000 and 6,000 adult fish in the bay off the mouth of North Creek. These 
were principally males that had not gotten over their inclination to spawn. The 
males are sexually active long after the females are through spawning and have 
returned to the deep water to recuperate. 
“Judging from the number of males and their emaciated condition, the run was 
practically over and these were the last. They represented about one-third of the 
male fish that entered this bay, as that is approximately the proportion that lingers 
around the breeding ground at the end of a run. Assuming this to be correct, there 
were at least 15,000 males in this bay during the spawning period; and as the sexes 
are equally divided it means that 30,000 spawning fish came into this bay in an 
attempt to ascend North Creek to spawn. As North Creek is the only creek of any 
consequence which the fish could enter, it is not surprising that most of the fish in the 
lake gathered in the bay into which it empties this spring. 
“In the Spring of 1915 the commission operated a trap at the mouth of North 
Creek, before this bay was formed, and only procured about 360,000 eggs. In 1916 
the lake was filling and the mouths of the creeks were changing. That season, 
approximately one million eggs were collected. Owing to the changed condition of 
the lake and the great depth of water over the old spawning beds, if proper equipment 
had been on hand and preparations made, from six to eight million eggs could have 
been taken in North Creek this season. The take was a little over one. million, as 
that was all we were able to handle with our present equipment. 
“As long as the water remains at the present level during the Spring months, or 
does not recede over five or six feet, North Creek will continue to be the only creek 
that the spawning fish will enter, excepting Metcalf Creek, which could be improved 
by opening the mouth, and blasting a fishway over a ledge of rock about one-fourth 
mile from the present shore line. This would add about one-half mile more of 
