259

[Verso]

Sportsman.

There are some States
in the American Union in which
the authorities have sought to limit
the standard for the taking Spec Trout
to 6 inches; others have different
standards; but from what I have
read and learned these limitations
have proved futile, except when
some individual “Angling Clubs”
have been the actual owners of the
premises, and where such rules,
and regulations amongst them-
selves are honorably upheld.

Whilst your Dept
has asked from me information
regarding “Close Seasons” and the
protection of the Spec-Trout in Ontario,
and which I have endeavoured
to give, I trust I shall not be
considered as obstrusive, when I
refer to the subject of Spec Trout
in the Maritime Provinces, and
in the North West, more especially
in the former where these delicious
fish are being rapidly exterminated,
the cause of which is not far to
[check?] – viz

(1) In looking over the table of
"Close seasons" in the Annual

[Recto]

233

Departmental Report for 1885
which gives these “close seasons” up
to January 1, 1886, The period for the
protection of Spec-trout in Quebec
is from Oct 1st to January 1st. This to
those having a practical knowledge
of these fish, means [very?] little, if
any protection during their
spawning season, as the
great bulk of the trout will be found
to shed their spawn in Quebec
during September, no doubt
some will deposit their ova in
October: -- Then again protection
is as much needed during the
extreme winter months, as at any
other time. The trout after spawning
became lean and [aggressive?]
and to recuperate become
very greedy and consequently
are easily captured through
holes in the ice, where the poacher
and habitant bait them, to
bring them together, and then
net, or spear, and otherwise kill
[?]at which time from their
exhaustive efforts from spawning,
they are actually unwholesome
food: -- nevertheless this is the system
permitted in Quebec, and in [?]