/
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN STUDIES
^^
IN SCIENCE
NUMBER 3
THE DISTRIBUTION AND FOOD OF
THE FISHES OF THREE WISCONSIN
LAKES IN SUMMER
BY
A. S. PEARSE
PROFESSOR OF ZOOLOGY
MADISON
1921
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN STUDIES
NUMBER 1 7 SCIENCE NO. 3
JUNE, 1 92 1 PRICE, FIFTY CENTS
Published bi-monthly by the University of Wisconsin at Madison, Wisconsin
Entered as second class matter August 31, 1919 at the postoffice at Madison, Wisconsin, under
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tember 17, 1918.
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No. 1 . The Fishes of Lake Valencia, Venezuela, by A. S. Pearse.
52 p. Fifty cents.
No. 2. Papers on Bacteriology and Allied Subjects, by Former
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No. 3. The Distribution and Food of the Fishes of Three
Wisconsin Lakes in Summer, by A. S. Pearse. 60 p.
Fifty cents.
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN STUDIES
IN SCIENCE
NUMBER 3
THE DISTRIBUTION AND FOOD OF
THE FISHES OF THREE WISCONSIN
LAKES IN SUMMER
BY
A."S.PEARSE
PROFESSOR OF ZOOLOGY
MADISON
1921
CONTENTS
Introduction 5
Distribution of the Fishes 7
Lake Pepin 7
Lake Michigan 13
Lake Geneva 18
Discussion of Distribution in All Lakes 19
Food of the Fishes 29
Lake Pepin 29
Lake Michigan 39
Lake Geneva 46
Discussion of Foods of Fishes in All Lakes 48
General Discussion of the Food and Distribution of Fishes in
Wisconsin Lakes . . 53
THE DISTRIBUTION AND FOOD OF THE FISHES OF
THREE WISCONSIN LAKES IN SUMMER
INTRODUCTION
Except for the "reconnoissance" of Reighard (1915), little
has been published on the ecology of lake fishes. For several
years the writer has been studying the distribution, food, and
parasites of the fishes in Wisconsin lakes. In 1916 routine
catches were made in Lake Wingra, which is small and shallow
(Pearse and Achtenberg, 1920). During the summer of 1919
the fishes in Green Lake and Lake Mendota were investigated
(Pearse, 1920). The former lake is remarkable for its depth and
clearness, the latter for the stagnation of its deeper parts during
the summer. In 1920 work was done on three lakes: — Lake
Pepin, which is a part of the Mississippi River and yet shows
typical lacustrine conditions; Lake Michigan, representative of
primitive lake habitata for the St. Lawrence drainage; and Lake
Geneva, the clearest and deepest lake on the Mississippi drain-
age.
The study of the ecology of the Wisconsin lake fishes has
progressed to such a stage that it is now possible to compare the
fishes in six different types of lakes. Though this paper deals
primarily with the three lakes studied during 1920, it also makes
comparisons between all the lakes investigated, and thus gives
a general summary of the work. Table I contains data relating
to all the lakes considered. The lakes are arranged according
to the total volume of water.
During the summer of 1920 the three lakes studied were un-
der observation as follows: At Lake Pepin from June 20 to
July 25 headquarters were made in a shanty owned by Mr.
Jean Hogue on a sandy point extending between the Mississippi
River and the slews north of the mouth of the Chippewa River.
This location was close to the deepest parts of the lake. On
Lake Michigan headquarters were in Mr. A. C. Kalmbach's
fish market, Sturgeon Bay, from July 17 to 27. Three trips
6 UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN STUDIES
were made out into Lake Michigan with commercial fishermen
and seven days were spent fishing in Sturgeon Bay. From
July 29 to August 7 the writer lived in a shanty owned by Mr.
Andrew Nelson at Little Harbor, on Green Bay. At Lake
Geneva quarters were made in the Yerkes Observatory from
August 8 to 25. Fishing was done at the deepest points in the
lake and alongshore from Fontana to the head of Williams
Bay.
It is a pleasure to acknowledge the help received from various
sources during the work. The United States Bureau of Fish-
eries Identified several species of shiners and furnished funds
tb cafry on the work. Mr. George Wagner named certain
dsCOes. Mr. C. Juday, of the Wisconsin Geological and Natural
History Survey, loaned a deep sea thermometer. The following
pefsoris extended various courtesies while work was being done
iii their localities: J. C. Broatch and Earle Little, Pepin,
Wis.; A. C. Kalmbach and Andrew Nelson, Sturgeon JBay,
Wis.; Mr. E. B. Frost and his colleagues in the Yerkes Obser-
vatory. Mr. Leslie Tasche did good work as assistant in the
field, and Miss Marion £. Lainont was a valuable aid in the
laboratory.
FISSES OF THREE WISCONSIN LAKES
DISTRIBUTION OF THE FISHES
As the methods used for catching fishes and studying their
distribution were the same as those described in a previous paper
(Pearse, 1920), they will not be discussed in detail. Gill nets,
all of which measured 4 by 75 feet, were set at various depths.
As a rule a "battery" of five nets having meshes of %, 1, 1J4 2,
and 3 inches respectively was set each morning and left without
being disturbed for twenty-fouf hours. The seine used was
fifty feet long and four feet deep; mesh, one quarter inch; with
a bag, 4 by 4 feet, in the center. Trot lines were usually set
at dusk and taken up early in the morning. The catches were
made with the same apparatus in the various lakes and the
methods were as similar as it was possible to make them. It
is therefore proper to compare the data from the different lakes
directly. Though all the lakes were studied during the summer,
they were not studied simultaneously. The errors due to season
or to peculiar conditions in certain years are believed to be
negligible in influencing the general conclusions.
DISTRIBUTION OF FISHES IN LAKE PEPIN
Table II shows the catch per hour in gill nets at various
depths. The greatest variety of species was caught in the
upper five meters of the lake, but the highest catch per hour
ca^ae from depths of 10 to 15 meters. As regards number of
species the catches were: 0-5 meters, 13; 5-10 meters, 6; 10-15
TABLE I
COMPARISON of Six WISCONSIN LAKES
Lake
Volume, cu. meters
Depth,
meters
Surface
sq. km.
Temperature,
summer
Clearness*
Wingra
2,761,000
4.3
2.2
26.8-26.8°C
Geneva
Mendota
Pepin
434,773,000
478,370,000
594,350,000
43.3
25.6
17.1
22.1
39.4
65.0
7.3-23.6°C
9.7-23.3°C
23.7-26.4°C
4-5m. (7)
2-3m.
Green
Michigan
984,825,000
1,156,212,537,576
72.2
270.0
29.7
36129.6
4.9-21.6°C
(10.6) -19.7°Ct
3-4,6m. (6)
• The figures in this column were supplied by Mr. C. Juday. They are approximate figures
from readings with a 10 cm. Secchi disc and indicate the depth at which the disc disappeared from
view.
t At a depth of twenty-four meters. Ward (1896) found 4°C. below 120 meters.
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN STUDIES
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FISHES OF THREE WISCONSIN LAKES 9
meters, 3; 15-20 meters, 4. These results of course leave out
of consideration the fishes which are too small to be caught in
gill nets. These would increase the number of species and
individuals in shallow water. The results do indicate the dis-
tribution of the commoner, large fishes.
The black bullhead, pickerel, short-headed red-horse, and
white bass were not caught below five meters. The lake carp,
long-nosed gar, and white-nosed red-horse ranged down to ten
meters. The perch extended to fifteen. The carp and channel
cat were caught in the deepest and shallowest zone — where
there was the most mud — but were not taken in intermediate
waters. The "hackleback," or sand sturgeon, was more abun-
dant in deeper water and the sauger was most abundant at
intermediate depths. Only four species of large fishes com-
monly take advantage of the food supplies in deep water. Clams
were somewhat more abundant at greater depths and cray-
fishes were only caught in deep water.
These generalizations are intended to apply only to the
summer season. The distribution of many fishes is doubtless
quite different in winter. Furthermore, there are fishes in the
lake (like the spoonbill, black bass, yellow bass, wall-eyed
pike, mooneye, and skipjack), which were never caught in gill
nets, and hence their distribution is more or less unknown.
Arranged according to their abundance as judged by the
catch per hour in gill nets, the fishes in Lake Pepin rank in the
following order: — sauger, .911; hackleback, .855; yellow perch,
.351; white-nosed red-horse, .109; pickerel, .103; short-headed
red-horse, .098; carp, .027; channel cat, .025; long-nosed gar,
.021; lake carp, .006; black bullhead, .005; white bass, .005.
The fifty foot minnow seine was hauled in eight different
localities on different days in Lake Pepin, the total length of al
the hauls being about 1546 meters. Twenty-three species of
fishes were caught. In the following summary of the catches,
the first figure indicates the number of times a species was
caught and the second, the total number of individuals caught:
Percina caprodes, log perch 8 625
Notropis jejunus, shiner 6 270
Notropis atherinoides, shiner 2 250
Stizostedion sp.?, young pike 7 156
Percaflavescens, yellow perch 4 133
10 UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN STUDIES
Notropis httdsonius, shiner 6 108
Micropterus salmoides, largemouth black bass 6 100
Lepomis incisor, bluegill 2 62
Micropterus dolomieu, smallmouth black bass 4 $2
Hiodon tergisus, mooneye 3 17
Pomoxis annularis, white crappie • 1 15
Esox lucins, pickerel 5 14
Catostomns commefsonii, common sucker 2 9
Roccus chrysops, white bas* 1 6
Aphredoderus sayanus, pirate perch 1 5
Boleosoma nigrum, Johnny darter 3 5
Pomoxis sparoides, black crappie 2 4
Cyprinus cafpio, carp 3 4
Carpoides thompsoni, river carp 2 4
Schilbeades gyrinus, tadpole cat 2
Moxostoma breviceps, short-headed red-horse 1
Notropis heterodon, shiner 2 2
Ameiurus natalis, yellow bullhead 1 1
Data on catches made with trot lines set in the slews at the
foot of Lake Pepin were obtained from two sources. From
June 26 to 30 Mr. Jean Hogue, a commercial fisherman, set a
line. For bait he used minnows and "cut bait" from fishes.
On four out of the five nights with 1125 5/0 Kirby hooks set
for a total of about sixty hours he caught ten channel cats.
Mr. Tasche set a total of 658 2/0 Kirby hooks on ten nights
from July 1 to 13. With minnows, crayfishes, and "cut bait"
he caught fishes and turtles as follows, the first figure indicat-
ing the number of nights a species was caught and the second,
the total catch:
Ameiurus natalis, yellow bullhead 6 29
Ictalurus punctatus, channel cat 5
Ameiurus melas, black bullhead 2 5
Ameiurus nebulosus, speckled bullhead 2
Anguilla crysypa, eel 1
Lepisosteus platostomus, duck-billed gar 1
Chrysemys marginata, painted turtle 1 1
Emydoidea blandingi, Blanding's turtle 1
Platypeltis spinifera, soft-shelled turtle 1 1
Information as to the abundance and distribution of the
fishes in Lake Pepin was also obtained from Mr. Earle Little
and his crew. These men operated a commercial seine just
above the outlet of the lake. The seine was 2,000 feet long and
28 feet deep; the mesh was 2^ inch, bar measure, except
FISHES OF TSfcEri WISCONSIN LAKES 11
150 feet in the center, which was 2 inch. On being questioned
the four seiners agreed that from June 15 to November 15 their
catch per day would average about as follows:
Carp, Cyprinus carpio and Carpoides, two or three species .... 500 Ibs.
Dogfish, Amia calva (1000 Ibs. on some days in autumn) ...... 400 4
Sheepshead, Aplodinotus grunniens ......................... 350
Suckers and red-horses, Moxostoma; Catostomus .............. 200 '
Wall-eyed pike, Stizostedion vitreum ........................ 200 "
Mooheye> Hiodon tergisus .................................. 100 *
Pickerel, Esox Indus (catch greater in autumn) ............. 50 '
Buffalo, Ictiobus, three or four species ...................... 25
Spoonbill, Polyodon spathula ............................... 25 '
Catfishes and bullheads, Leptopus olivaris; Ictalutus punctalus;
Ameiurus (catch greater in autumn) .................... 25
White bass, Roccus chrysops ................. , ............ 10 4
Black bass, Micropterus, 2 species ......................... 10 '
Bluegill, Lepomis incisor ................................... 1 Ib.
Crappies, Pomoxis ........................................ 1 '
While the writer was at Lake Pepin, the crew never seined
where the water was more than seven or eight meters deep.
When the water is low in the autumn, however, the fishermen
haul from the deepest part of the lake (17m.).
On two days fishing was carried on with hook and line, and
"once with a trot line, in two coulees about a mile above the out-
let of Lake Pepin on the Minnesota side. The coulees are
little drainage basins with ponds at their bottoms. The ponds
are connected with the lake under the C. M. & St. P. RR.
bridges. Their borders are grown up with willows and they are
filled with aquatic vegetation.
On June 6, fishing from 2 :00 to 5 :00 P. M. with three hooks
baited with earthworms and grasshoppers, a largemouth black
bass, a smallmouth blackbass, two bluegills, and a pumpkinseed
were caught. On July 8 from 9:45 A. M. to 12:00 M. fishing with
three hooks baited with worms the following fishes were
caught: 6 pumpkinseeds, 1 yellow bullhead, 1 carp, 1 bluegill.
A trot-line bearing seventy 2/0 Kirby hooks baited with earth-
worms was also set from 9:30 A. M. to 11:00 A. M. It caught
3 carp and 1 pumpkinseed.
Forty-six species of fishes were examined from Lake Pepin
and from the slews near its outlet. Wagner (1908) records
forty-three species from the lake. The following ten species
12 UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN STUDIES
noted by him were not observed by the writer during the
summer of 1920: — Acipenser rubicundus, AmUoplites rupestris,
Apomotis cyanellus, Hadropterus guentheri, Hybopsis storerianus,
Lota maculosa, Moxostoma aureolum, Notropis blennius, Notropis
rubifrons, Notropis whipplei. The following thirteen species
not recorded by Wagner were taken by the writer: Aphredo-
derus say anus, Ameiurus melas, Ameiurus natalis, Ameiurus
nebulosus, Carpoides carpio, Carpoides thompsoni, Eupomotis
gibbosus, Morone interrupta, Moxostoma breviceps, Notropis
jejunus, Notropis atkerinoides, Notropis heterodon, Pomoxis
annularis. A complete list of all the species examined is given
under the section on food (pp. 29-39).
Marked changes have evidently occurred in the fish fauna
of the lake since Wagner (1908) made his observations in 1903
and 1904. The lamprey eel is no longer common probably
because its usual host, the spoonbill, has decreased in numbers.
Wagner says (p. 27), "the spoonbill is one of the most abundant
forms in Lake Pepin throughout the summer." In 1920 this
species was rather uncommon. Again Wagner says that the
rock sturgeon is "not uncommon," and that the hackleback is
rare. In 1920 (Table II) the hackleback was abundant and the
rock sturgeon (not seen by the writer) very rare. Wagner took
no bullheads, except the tadpole cat. Three species were com-
mon in 1920. The buffalo (Ictiobus cyprinella) was "very
abundant," and is now rather uncommon. It has been replaced
by the carp, which in 1920 led all other species in commercial
value. Wagner found the skipjack "very common" and in 1920
it was quite rare. He found the rock bass very common and the
young were "extraordinarily numerous alongshore." In 1920 no
rock bass were caught, although special efforts were made. The
local fisherman all agreed that it was an exceedingly rare fish.
The perch was rare in 1904 and in 1920 was rather common.
Small largemouth black bass are no longer so abundant along-
shore as to be a "nuisance in fishing with a minnow seine."
The spoonbill, rock sturgeon, and buffalo have evidently
been more or less "fished out" during the past fifteen years and
the last has been replaced by the carp, which has similar habits.
Wagner probably took no bullheads because he did not fish
with trot-lines. The writer sees no apparent reason for the
marked decrease of the skipjack and rock bass.
FISHES OF THREE WISCONSIN LAKES 13
Considering all the evidence, the following peculiarities may
be pointed out regarding the fish fauna of Lake Pepin, which
differs from other deep Wisconsin lakes studied in its intimate
association with a great river, its turbidity, and its lack of
marked thermal stratification in summer. In deep water the
hackleback sturgeon is the moot abundant fish during the sum-
mer and the yellow perch is rare or absent. In winter dogfish,
carp, wall-eyed pike and other fishes frequent the deep water.
The log perch is the dominant small fish alongshore. There
are many species present in numbers which are not typical lake
fishes but ecologically belong in rivers — i.e., quillbacks and river
carp, mooneye, channel cat, buffaloes, red-horses, spoonbill,
skipjack, sauger, hackleback, etc. The greatest number of
species and individuals is found in the shallowest water, the
population of the five meters just below the surface exceeding
that of any other five-meter zone, except that of the zone from
10 to 15 meters where the deep and shallow water fishes over-
lap.
DISTRIBUTION OF FISHES IN LAKE MICHIGAN
The shores of Lake Michigan in the region of Sturgeon Bay
and the Sturgeon Bay Canal are rocky or sandy and the shores
in the Bay itself are sandy. At the head of the Bay there are
several large patches of rushes (Scirpus) and a couple of small
swampy areas. Table III gives the catch per hour in the writer's
gill nets at various depths. The greatest variety of species was
caught in the first five meters below the surface, but the largest
number of individuals was caught at depths of 5 to 10 meters.
The number of species caught in each stratum was as follows:
0-5 m., 7; 5-10 m., 4; 10-15 m., 1; 15-20 m., 3; 25-30 m., 2.
The black bullhead, carp, and pumpkinseed do not range below
five meters; the rock bass and pickerel extend from the surface
down to ten; the common sucker, to twenty; and the yellow
perch, to thirty. The bloater is found only in deep water,
below fifteen meters.
Arranged according to their abundance as judged by the
catch per hour in the writer's gill nets, the fishes in Lake Michi-
gan rank in the following order: yellow perch, 2.538; pickerel,
.265; bloater, .107; rock bass, .053; common sucker, .053;
black bullhead, .036; pumpkinseed, .021; carp, .012. Only
14
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN STUDIES
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UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN STUDIES
eight species were caught in the nets as compared to thirteen
caught in Lake Pepin.
The writer made three trips on Lake Michigan with the
boats "Albert C. Kalmbach" and "Four Brothers." The gill
nets used by the crews were about eight feet deep and the
meshes were 2J£ inch or 1 5/16 inch, "bar mesh." On July
22, 1600 feet of 2}£ inch mesh net was hauled from 15 to 30
fathoms, where it had been set for four days. On July 26,
1600 feet of 1 5/16 inch mesh net was hauled from 65 to 80
fathoms off Bayley's Harbor where it had been set seven days.
On July 27, 3200 feet of 2J£ inch mesh net was lifted from 15 to
35 fathoms where it had been for four days. The catches on
these days have been figured to the same catch-per-hour basis
as that for a gill net seventy-five feet long in order that they may
be compared with the catches of the writer's nets in shallower
water. They are summarized in Table IV.
It will be noted that the catch per hour for the bloater caught
by the writer (Leucichthys harengus) was somewhat less (Table
III) than that (L. hoyi) of the deep water fisherman (Table IV).
The other species caught in deep water were not taken in any of
the writer's nets down to 28.5 meters. The long-nosed sucker,
whitefish, and longjaw were caught in 2% inch mesh nets at
depths of from 27 to 64 meters, but were not taken in 1 5/16
mesh nets set from 119 to 146 meters. The opposite is true of
the blackfin and cottid. The cottid was probably not taken at
depths of 27 to 64 meters because the mesh of the nets set was
too large, as it was found in the stomachs of other fishes. The
TABLE IV
LAKE MICHIGAN. CATCH PER HOUR IN GILL NETS SET IN DEEP WATER BY
COMMERCIAL FISHERMEN, ON THE BASIS OF A NET 75 FEET LONG
Mesh of nets in inches
1\<
1 5/16
Depth in meters
27-64
119-146
No. hours nets were set
192
166
Catostomus catostomus
00074
CoTCSLonus clupeafoftnis
00043
Cfistiwmer namaycush
02531
.01568
Leucichthys johdnnae
00030
.00470
Leucichthys hoyi
05069
.00628
Leucichthys nigripinnis
.000063
Leucichthys pTOftnothus
00014
Lota ntdculosd
00333
.00038
Ufonided kutnlienii
.000157
Total
.08094
.02734
FISHES OF THREE WISCONSIN LAKES 17
blackfin and long jaw are rare ciscoes and the catch is not to be
taken as an accurate measure of relative abundance. For the
other fishes, however, the catch-per-hour may be looked upon
as giving data which shows the relative number of each species
present. In order of abundance the deep water fishes rank in
the following order: bloater (L. hoyi), lake trout, lawyer, long-
nosed sucker, chub (L. johannae), whitefish, cottid, longjaw
(L. prognathus), blackfin (L. nigripinnis} .
In Sturgeon Bay and at Little Harbor a trot line was set on
seven nights. The catch figured as for a total of 648 2/0 Kirby
hooks set overnight was Ameiurus melas, 2; Ameiurus natalisy
1; Ameiurus nebulosus, 3; Perca flavescens, 18; Necturus macu-
losus, 1. Arranged in order of abundance as judged by total
catch on trot lines the order is as follows; the first figure indi-
cating the number of nights when a species was caught and the
second the total number caught: yellow perch, 5-18; speckled
bullhead, 2-3; black bullhead, 2-2; yellow bullhead, 1-1; mud
puppy, 1-1.
With the seine three hauls were made for a total of about 711
meters. The species caught and the number of each was as
follows, the first figure indicating the number of times caught and
the second the total number: Pimephales notatus, 2-850; No-
tropis hudsonius, 3-175; Perca flavescens, 2-58; Micropterus do-
lomieu, 1-51; Etheostoma iowoe, 2-11; Notemigonus crysoleucas,
1-10; Micropterus salmoides, 1-10; Boleosoma nigrum, 2-6; Cat-
ostomus commersonii, 2-3; Ameiurus nebulosus, 1-2; Eupomotis
gibbosus, 1-1; Fundulus diaphanus menona, 1-1; Percina cap-
rodes, 1-1.
All things considered the following statements in regard to
the fish fauna of Lake Michigan in the Sturgeon Bay region ap-
pear to be justified. In shallow water alongshore the yellow
perch is the characteristic and most abundant fish. The pick-
erel is next in abundance and the rock bass is quite common.
There are very few small fishes. In sheltered bays there are
Iowa and Johnny darters, black bass, a few shiners and blunt-
nosed minnows. On and near swampy shores there are bull-
heads, a few pumpkinseeds, and an occasional carp or dogfish.
The dominant fishes in the depths of the lake are ciscoes and
lake trout. The lawyer and cottid, and long-nosed sucker are
also fairly common. The whitefish is rather rare.
18 UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN STUDIES
DISTRIBUTION OF FISHES IN LAKE GENEVA
Lake Geneva is the clearest of the lakes studied in Wis-
consin (Table I). Its shores are for the most part rocky and
steep. There is comparatively little aquatic vegetation.
Table V gives the results of catches with gill nets at various
depths in Lake Geneva. Of the eleven species caught, six did
not extend below a depth of fifteen meters: common sucker,
pickerel, pumpkinseed, bluegill, largemouth black bass, brook
trout. The rock bass and wall-eyed pike ranged down to 20
meters; the smallmouth bass to 25 meters; and the perch to 35
meters. The cisco was caught at depths of 15 to 25 meters. It
will be noted that there were twice as many fishes caught from
five to ten meters below the surface as were caught between the
surface and a depth of five meters. There are probably a num-
ber of factors contributing to this peculiarity in distribution, but
doubtless it is due chiefly to the rocky shores and the clearness
of the water. The rocks make it difficult for plants to gain a
foothold, and the clearness of the water makes it possible for
plants, which are much frequented by fishes, to grow at greater
depths.
Judged by the catch per hour in gill nets the abundance of
the eleven species was as follows: Perca flavescens, .977; Am-
bloplites rupestris, .781; Micropterus dolomieu, .589; Leucichthys
artedisisco, .279; Stizostedion vitreum, .252; Catostomus commer-
sonii, .171; Esox Indus, .129; Eupomotis gibbosus, .058; Lepomis
incisor, .022; Micropterus salmoides, .010; Sahelinus fontinalis,
.009.
The absence of fishes in deep water is doubtless due to lack
of oxygen. Birge and Juday (1911, p. 148) on September 25,
1906 found about .5 c.c. or less of oxygen per liter below 30 me-
ters, and (p. 230) that there was little plankton in the deeper
water. There is no doubt that there was a lack of oxygen in the
deeper water while the writer was fishing in Lake Geneva dur-
ing August, 1920.
A trot line was set on six nights in favorable places along the
shores of Lake Geneva. A total of 504 2/0 Kirby hooks caught
one rock bass.
Nine hauls were made with the seine over a total of about
1,940 meters of shore. The following fishes were caught, the
FISHES OF THREE WISCONSIN LAKES 19
first figure indicating the number of times each species was
caught and the second, the total number caught : Percaflavescens,
8-3155 j1 Micropterus salmoides, 7-230; Micropterus dolomieu,
6-223; Lepomis incisor, 6-59; Notropis hudsonius, 4-30; Amblo-
plites rupestris, 3-17; Eupomotis gibbosus, 5-15; Catostomus com-
mersonii, 3-8.
From all sources of information the following statements re-
garding the fish fauna of Lake Geneva appear to be justified.
There are fewer species of fishes than in any other lake studied.
This is probably due to the lack of variety in the shore habitats.
The dominant large fishes are yellow perch, smallmouth black
bass, rock bass, pickerel, suckers and wall-eyed pike. There
are a small number of bluegills, largemouth black bass, and
trout. Ciscoes are found at depths of 15 to 25 meters in sum-
mer— above the region of stagnation and in fairly cool water.
Though there appear to be many young largemouth black bass
in the lake there are few adults. There are very few shiners.
No darters were caught, although special search was made for
them. Bullheads, gars, and carp are rare in the lake, and none
were caught by the writer.
DISCUSSION or DISTRIBUTION OF FISHES IN ALL LAKES
The six lakes studied rank in the following order (Table
VIII) according to the total catch per hour in gill nets: Wingra
7.703, Mendota 5.050, Green 3.677, Geneva 3.285, Michigan
3.280, Pepin 2.553.
Lake Wingra is the smallest and shallowest of the lakes and
its shores are everywhere of soft mud. That it contains more
fish per unit area than any other lake, is due to the yellow perch,
which though small in size occurs in great numbers. Other
abundant species are the largemouth black bass, pumpkinseed,
bream, crappie, and bluegill. All these fishes, except the perch,
are seldom found except where there is aquatic vegetation.
Lake Mendota is deep and has rather varied shores. A
couple of small rivers run into it. Its deeper water is stagnant
for about three months in summer. This lake is also dominated
by the yellow perch, which is abundant in deep water when it is
not stagnant and also very numerous inshore. Much less com-
1 The number of individuals is very large because 2,800 were caught on one occasion from a
large school off the mouth of a little stream at Fontana.
20
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN STUDIES
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22 UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN STUDIES
mon than the perch are the carp, white bass, cisco, largemouth
black bass, rock bass, sucker. Among the small fishes along-
shore the perch is also most abundant.
Green Lake is deep and its lower strata are always cool. Its
shores are mostly sandy with little vegetation. The abundant
fish in this lake is the cisco, and the perch is rare. The pickerel
is quite common and shares the shallow water habitats with
suckers, rock bass, bluegills, and smallmouth black bass. The
smallmouth black bass is the most common of the small shore
fishes. There are also Johnny darters, perch, largemouth black
bass, blunt nosed minnows, top minnows, shiners, etc., along-
shore.
Lake Geneva, like Mendota, stagnates somewhat in sum-
mer. Its deeper water remains fairly cool, in this respect being
intermediate between Green Lake and Lake Mendota. Its
shores are monotonous and stony. The dominant fish in this
lake is the perch, but the rock bass approaches it in numbers.
There are also many smallmouth black bass, ciscoes, and pike.
Suckers and pickerel are quite common. The perch is most
abundant among the small shore fishes, but smallmouth and
largemouth black bass are quite common. There are apparently
few or no darters.
Lake Michigan, in the region of Sturgeon Bay, has sandy and
rocky shores. It is the largest and deepest of any of the lakes
studied and its deeper parts are always cool. Its most abundant
fish is the perch, with the pickerel second in numbers. In deep
water the dominant fishes are ciscoes and lake trout. There are
not many small fishes alongshore, but shiners, perch, small-
mouth black bass, darters and other fishes occur.
Lake Pepin is in the direct course of the Mississippi River
and, while its current is not rapid, the whole body of water is in
continual motion. Lake Pepin is rather turbid and the summer
temperatures are high at all levels (Table I). The gill nets show
their smallest catch per hour in this lake, but more species are
present than in any of the others. The sauger and sand stur-
geon (hackleback) are the most common fishes. The perch, red
horses, carp, and catfishes are also present in numbers. The
log-perch is the most abundant small fish alongshore. Shiners,
small pike, perch, and largemouth black bass were also quite
common.
FISHES OF THREE WISCONSIN LAKES
23
TABLE VI
GREEN LAKE. AVERAGE CATCH PER HOUR IN GILL NETS, AUGUST 13 TO
SEPTEMBER 2, 1919*
Depth in meters
No. hours nets
were set
AmUoplites
rupestris
Catostomus
commersonii
Esox lucius
ll
Leucichthys
birgei
Micropterus
dolomieu
sf
«•
I
0-5
587 5
050
120
080
250
5-10
406.7
050
.064
014
013
013
148
10-15
94.0
.149
042
191
15-20
157.0
0
20-25
110.0
0
35-40
114.3
0
40-45
136 5
785
785
45-50
118 0
o
70-73
242 0
2 303
2 303
0-73
1966.0
.100
.149
.isi
.094
3.088
.055
.013
3.677
Condensed and rearranged from data already published (Pearse, 1921).
TABLE VII
LAKE MENDOTA. AVERAGE CATCH PER HOUR IN GILL NETS, JUNE 24 TO
SEPTEMBER 5, 1919*
1
No. hours nets
were set
It
1
fi
1
Lepomis
incisor \
Leucichthys,
species?
ll
ll
!!
it
Stizostedion
vilreum \\
1
0-5
5-10
586.0
258.5
.01
01
.01
01
.04
08
oi
.01
oi
Yn
.41
2.55
.01
.01
04
.01
.51
2.74
10-15
402.5
0?
OS
1.74
1.79
15-20
142.5
20-24
357 5
01
0-24
1747.0
.02
.02
.14
.01
.01
.05
.03
4.70
.01
.05
.01
5.05
* Condensed from data already published (Pearse, 1921).
In four of the lakes (Wingra, Mendota, Michigan, and
Geneva) the yellow perch is the most abundant large fish. In
Green Lake and Lake Pepin there are comparatively few perch;
the cisco being the dominant species in the former, the sauger
and sturgeon in the latter.
Many species of fishes were caught in only one of the six
lakes studied. Though many of the fishes listed doubtless occur
in lakes other than those mentioned, the fact that such species
24
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN STUDIES
were not caught during the present investigations indicates they
are not abundant enough to be an important element in the fish
fauna of a lake. For example, the writer has caught dog-fish in
Lake Mendota, both in gill nets and in seines, but such catches
are uncommon enough to make him feel that it is proper to ac-
cept the catches here considered as furnishing a fair representa-
tion of the fish life of the lake and its distribution during the
summer season. As the various species of ciscoes have much the
same habits everywhere, and are therefore ecologically similar,
TABLE VIII
COMPARISON OF TOTAL AVERAGE CATCH PER HOUR IN GILL NETS IN Six
WISCONSIN LAKES
Species
|
A
Lake
Mendota
31
8«
la
if
.781
020
.100
.053
005
.036
.053
.011
.0007
Catostomus conwnersonii
171
020
149
053*
Coregonus clupeiformis
.0004*
Cristiwmer namaycush
.0408*
Cyprinus carpio
.027
.140
.027
.012
Esox lucius
.036
.129
.010
.103
.184
.265
Eupotnotis cibbosus
.329
.058
.021
Ictalurus punctatus
.025
Lepisosteus osseus
Lepomis incisor
.062
.202
!622
!6io
.021
!694
Leucichthys, all species
.279
.050
3.088
.040*
Lola maculosa,
.004*
Micfopterus dolomicu
.184
598
052
MicTopterus s&lmoidcs
.343
010
030
Moxostoma, 2 species
.207
Notemigonus crysoleucas
.212
Pefca favescens
6.047
.977
4.700
.351
.010
2.538
Pomcxis spdToidcs
208
010
Roccus ckrysops
050
005
Salvelintis fontinalis
009
Scaphyrhynchus platorhynchus
885
Stizostedion canadense
.911
Stizostcdion vitrcum
252
010
Uranidea kumlienii
.00015*
Total .
7.703
3.285
5.050
2.553
3.677
3.280*
• These averages are not directly comparable to others in this table as they came wholly or
in part from Table IV.
t In Lake Wingra no 2-inch or 3-inch mesh nets were set (Pearse and Achtenberg, 1920).
In the other lakes a "battery" including %, 1 , 1 H, 2, and 3-inch mesh nets was set.
FISHES OF THREE WISCONSIN LAKES 25
they are not listed as pertaining to any particular lake. The
fishes peculiar to certain lakes are as follows:
Lake Pepin — three species of the genus Carpoides, sauger, channel cat, mud
cat, sand sturgeon, mooneye, gizzard shad, skipjack, spoonbill, pirate perch,
duck-billed gar, a shiner (Notropis jejunus), two species of Moxostoma.
Lake Michigan — long-nosed sucker, whitefish, lake trout, cottid, lawyer.
Lake Wingra — dogfish, bream.
Lake Geneva — brook trout.
Lake Mendota — none.
Green Lake — none.
It is of interest to note that the lakes representing two primi-
tive habitats on each drainage system have the largest number
of species which are not found in other lakes. The reservoirs
(Mississippi River and Great Lakes) which have since glacial
times furnished the population of the inland lakes of Wisconsin
have not sent all their species into the available localities.
Some species migrated, others are specialized for life in large
lakes and have never taken to streams or inland lakes. The
true lake fishes (perch, cisco, long-nosed sucker, whitefish, lake
trout) when conditions are favorable have entered inland lakes
and often become abundant. The typical river fishes have been
much less ready to enter the inland lakes of the Mississippi
drainage system and many have never become an element in
their fish fauna (red-horses, quillbacks, spoonbill, mooneye,
gizzard shad, sauger, catfishes).
Lake Wingra more nearly approaches conditions characteris-
tic of swamps than any of the lakes, and two fishes characteristic
of swamps and creeks were caught in it, bream and dogfish.
Lake Geneva is remarkable for its rocky shores, and hence has
affinities with the rapids formations in brooks. Its peculiar
fish is the brook trout, and the rock bass, smallmouth black
bass and wall-eyed pike are more abundant in it than in any
other lake.
In one of his papers Forbes (1910) said: "A lake is sessile,
simple, stolid, coelenterate; a river is motile, complex, sensitive,
and articulate: a lake has an aspect, a constitution; but a river
has a character, a behavior." To the writer nothing is more
inspiring than a lake, and no environment has more "character."
A lake is also satisfactory for scientific study because it has a
unity and orderly sequence that a barren, changeful river must
26 UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN STUDIES
always lack. The results presented in this paper indicate that
as conditions in lakes approach those in rivers the number of
fishes per unit of area becomes fewer. Rivers are deserts among
aquatic habitats. They are of most value to fishes as highways
to lakes, swamps, and other aquatic Edens.
In the following summary the fishes that were caught in the
writer's gill nets in two or more lakes are listed. Each species is
followed by the names of the lakes where it was caught, the
lakes being arranged in order according to the abundance of
the species in them.
Yellow perch — Wingra, Mendota, Michigan, Geneva, Pepin, Green.
Pickerel — Michigan, Green, Geneva, Pepin, Wingra, Mendota.
Carp — Mendota, Wingra, Pepin, Michigan.
Rock bass — Geneva, Green, Michigan, Mendota.
Bluegill — Wingra, Green, Geneva, Mendota.
Ciscoes — Green, Geneva, Mendota, Michigan.
Largemouth black bass — Wingra, Mendota, Geneva.
Smallmouth black bass — Geneva, Wingra, Green.
Pumpkinseed — Wingra, Geneva, Michigan.
Common sucker — Geneva, Green, Mendota.
Black crappie — Wingra, Mendota.
White bass — Mendota, Pepin.
Black bullhead — Michigan, Pepin.
Long-nosed gar— Wingra, Pepin.
Wall-eyed pike — Geneva, Mendota.
The perch, bluegill, largemouth black bass, pumpkin-
seed, black crappie, and long-nosed gar were most abundant in the
shallowest and smallest lake (Wingra). The pickerel and black
bullhead were most abundant in the largest and deepest lake
(Michigan). The carp and white bass were most abundant in
the lake with the greatest degree of stagnation in summer, the
most varied shores, and the richest bottom fauna (Mendota).
The rock bass, smallmouth black bass, common sucker, and
wall-eyed pike were most abundant in the clearest lake with
the most rocky shores (Geneva). The ciscoes were most abun-
dant in the deepest inland lake which has rather clear water
(Green). No species of fish which is found in two or more lakes
is most abundant in the lake (Pepin) which is closely associated
with the great river.
The yellow perch and pickerel are the only species which
were caught in gill nets in all of the six lakes studied. The perch
FISHES OF THREE WISCONSIN LAKES 27
is distinctively a lake fish. Forbes and Richardson (1908) and
Evermann and Clark (1920) reached the same conclusion after
studying its habits in Illinois and Indiana. During the present
investigation it was found to be the most abundant species in
four of the six lakes studied. In Lake Mendota and Lake
Geneva perch are the dominant deep water fishes, and it is of
interest to note that the deeper water in both of these lakes
loses its oxygen during the summer. It has been shown (Pearse
and Achtenberg, 1920) that perch have unusual ability to
endure stagnant water and this doubtless enables them to
feed somewhat in deep water at all seasons. There is apparently
a limit to the depth to which perch will migrate, for in Lake
Michigan and Green Lake they are not found in the deepest
water where ciscoes are the dominant fishes.
The pickerel is most abundant in the large, deep, clear lakes.
The carp appears to be most common in lakes with muddy
bottoms either in deep or shallow water and is rare in deep, clear
lakes like Geneva and Green. The rock bass reaches its maxi-
mum where there are the most rocks alongshore and is absent
from lakes like Wingra and Pepin. The bluegill is numerous in
the small, shallow lake, but also quite common in the two deep-
est and clearest inland lakes. The pumpkinseed has a somewhat
similar distribution. These two sunfishes are usually associated
with the margins of swampy areas. The ciscoes are most
abundant in deep lakes in which the lower water is cool in
summer. They are present in the lakes in which the deeper
water stagnates, but are less abundant.
The largemouth black bass feeds more on fishes than its
smallmouth relative, which partakes more of insects. These dif-
ferences probably account for the abundance of the former in
the lakes where shore fishes are most numerous, and of the latter
where insects abound. The common sucker reaches its maxi-
mum in the clear deep inland lakes. The black crappie was
caught in the small shallow lake and in that with varied shores.
The white bass is in the lake with varied shores and in that con-
nected with a great river. The black bullhead was seldom
caught in gill nets on account of morphological peculiarities and
such catches probably have no significance. The long-nosed gar
is associated with rivers and with an abundance of small fishes.
The wall-eyed pike was caught in one of the deep, clear, inland
28 UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN STUDIES
lakes and not in the other, though both lakes had been stocked
with it. It was also taken in the lake with the most varied
shores.
The statements in the last two paragraphs apply only to the
results as judged by the writer's gill net catches. Though they
doubtless fail to give a true picture in regard to various details,
they are believed to give a general idea of the factors which are
of importance in determining the distribution of the particular
species considered.
The six lakes studied may also be compared on the basis of
the catches with trot-line and seine. This is not possible for
Lake Wingra where the shores are too muddy to use a small
seine and where a trot-line was not set. With the trot-line,
perch were more often caught than any other species in
Lakes Green, Mendota, and Michigan. Bullheads and cat-
fishes were regularly caught in Lake Pepin and perch were
not taken on trot-lines. In Lake Geneva one rock bass was
caught.
The minnow seine gives a means for judging the relative
abundance of small fishes in shallow water. The following sum-
mary gives the leading fishes caught in each lake in order of
their abundance:
Lake Mendota — perch, largemouth black bass, pumpkinseed and blue-
gill, top minnow, shiners, rock bass, etc.
Lake Geneva — perch, largemouth black bass, smallmouth black bass,
bluegill, shiners, rock bass, etc.
Green Lake — smallmouth black bass, Johnny darter, largemouth black
bass, blunt-nosed minnow, top minnow, shiner, pickerel.
Lake Michigan — blunt-nosed minnow, shiner, perch, smallmouth black
bass, Iowa darter, etc.
Lake Pepin — log perch, shiners, pike, perch, largemouth black bass, blue-
gill and pumpkinseed, smallmouth black bass, etc.
The perch is the most abundant shallow water fish in two of
the lakes and is among the species that are fairly abundant in
two of the others, but is absent from the catches in Green Lake.
A darter was the most abundant fish in Lake Pepin, but the most
painstaking search failed to show a single darter in Lake Geneva.
The two species of black bass were taken in considerable num-
bers in all the lakes. In general the seine hauls support the
conclusions drawn from the catches with gill nets. They also
give striking evidence of the "individuality" of the lakes.
FISHES OF THREE WISCONSIN LAKES 29
FOOD OF THE FISHES
The methods used in determining the food of the fishes were
the same as those described in previous papers (Pearse, 1918;
Pearse and Achtenberg, 1920). All fishes were examined while
fresh. The contents of the alimentary canal were stripped out
on a glass plate; the entire canal was then slit open from end to
end and the lining scraped to remove adhering food and para-
sites. The glass plate was then placed under a binocular and the
food mass was slowly teased across the field with needles. The
volume of each constituent was estimated. When necessary
the food was also examined with a compound microscope.
In the following discussion all lengths of fishes are given in
millimeters and do not include the tail fin. The numbers after
foods indicate per cent of total volume; + means an amount
less than .1 per cent.
FOOD or FISHES IN LAKE PEPIN
Amia caha Linnaeus, dogfish
A female 578 mm. long, taken in a commercial seine on July
1, contained no food.
Anguilla chrysypa Rafinesque, eel
A single specimen was caught in a slew connected with the
lower end of Lake Pepin, on a trot-line, July 7. It measured
810 mm. in length and had eaten nothing but crayfishes.
Aphredoderus say anus (Gilliams), pirate-perch
Five specimens caught at the outlet of the lake July 9 in a
minnow seine furnished the following data: Length: 26-32;
average 30. Food: chironomid larvae 80; Cyclops 20. Four
specimens contained no food.
Aplodinotus grunniens Rafinesque, sheepshead
Six adults from various sources were examined, June 28 to
July 13. Length: 198-456; average 289. Food: fish 4; chirono-
mid larvae 3.8; caddis-fly larvae 14; mayfly nymphs 9; Corethra
pupae .2; Hyalella 1; unidentified amphipods 1.2; Leptodora
15.6; Daphnia 13.6; ostracods .2; snails 12; Sphaeridae 6; young
clams 19. The largest specimen contained no food.
30
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN STUDIES
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FISHES OF THREE WISCONSIN LAKES
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32 UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN STUDIES
Ameiurus melas (Rafinesque), black bullhead
Nine adults, most of them taken from trot-lines set in the
slews joining the lake near its outlet, were examined, June 25 to
July 14. Length: 122-282; average 232. Food: fish 13.5;
chironomid larvae .9; Helea larvae .4; mayfly nymphs 2.5;
Sialis nymphs .6; dragon-fly nymphs .4; caddis fly larvae .6;
Leptocerus larvae and cases 1.4; dytiscid larvae .4; Corixa .6;
crayfish 29.5; Hyalella .5; Daphnia 9.9; Chydorus .1; Eury-
cercus .9; Leptodora 2.5; ostracods .1; Planorbis 2; plants 2.5;
Arcella-like seeds .3; filamentous algae 19.9; diatoms 8.4; des-
mids .6; sand .4; mud .6. One specimen contained no food.
On July 7 a young specimen was caught in a dip net. It
measured 37 mm. in length and had eaten: chironomid larvae
25; Ceriodaphnia 20; Cyclops 50; ostracods 5.
Ameiurus natalis (Le Seur), yellow bullhead
Ten adults were examined on July 6 and 8. Length: 234-
417; average 285. Food: fish 57.8; crayfishes 26.1; Daphnia 2.6;
ostracods 1.1; Planorbis .5; brow seeds 2.2; filamentous algae
2.2; sand .2; unknown 6.7. One specimen contained no food.
Ameiurus nebulosus (Le Seur), speckled bullhead
Three adults, caught in slews on trot-lines, were examined on
July 7 and 10. Length: 258-306; average 286. Food: a nestling
bird 15; minnows 11.7; midge pupae 1.7; insect remains .3;
crayfishes 38.8; ostracods .2; Valisneria 33.3; fuzzy discoidal
seeds .1.
Five young individuals caught at the margin of a slew with
a dip net were examined on July 7. Length: 27-36; average 31.
Food: chironomid larvae 18; water mites 1; Hyalella .4; Cerio-
daphnia 27; Eurycercus 8.6; Chydorus 6.2; Alona .6; Bosmina
7.4; Cyclops 16.4; ostracods 13; sand 1.4.
Boleosoma nigrum (Rafinesque), Johnny darter
Ten specimens of this little darter were examined; June 29
to July 9; all being caught with a seine on sandy beaches.
Length: 26-50; average 34. Food: chironomid larvae 78; Helea
larvae 3; a maggot 2; Cyclops 3.5; ostracods 13; sand .5.
FISHES OF THREE WISCONSIN LAKES 33
Carpoides carpio (Rafinesque), river carp
One individual, 264 mm. in length, was taken in a commer-
cial seine June 22. Food: chironomid larvae 5; Cyclops 1;
ostracods 30; algae 2; sand 5; bottom mud 57.
Carpoides thompsoni Agassiz, lake carp
Two adults were examined on July 1 and 6. Lengths: 372,
374. Food: chironomid larvae 10; Hyalella 1; Daphnia 6.5;
Alona .5; Leptodora 5; Cyclops 2.5; ostracods 13; mud 51.5;
sand 7.5.
A young specimen, 27 mm. long, was examined on July 7.
Its food consisted of Chydorus 20; Alona 45; Cyclops 20;
rotifers 10; Arcella 5.
Carpoides velifer (Rafinesque), quillback
Five specimens were examined, all caught along the shore
of the lake, June 24 to July 10. Length: 128-376; average 236.
Food: chironomid larvae 24; Corethra larvae 6; Corethra pupae
2; Alona .2; Ceriodaphnia 20; Cyclops 1; ostracods 13; rotifers
1.6; Arcella 2; desmids .6; diatoms .6; sand 19; bottom debris
10.
Catostomus commersonii (Lacepede), common sucker
Two adults caught in commercial seine were examined on
June 30 and July 1. Lengths: 306, 309. Food: chironomid
larvae 26.5; Corixa .5; Hyalella 1; Acroperus .1; Planorbis 1;
Sphaeridae 15; sponges 5; Ceratophyllum 29; sand 4; mud 6.
Five young specimens, caught in a minnow seine near the
outlet of the lake on July 7 and 9, gave the following results:
Length: 41-48; average 44. Food: fly .2; Cyclops 60; Eury-
cercus .4; Chydorus 4; Alona 7.4; ostracods 5.6; Difflugia .2;
Arcella .2; filamentous algae 20.4; desmids .4; sand .6; un-
known .2.
Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus, carp
Nine carp over 100 mm. in length were examined, June 26
to July 8. Length: 122-344; average 229. Food: chironomid
larvae 5.5; mayfly nymphs .6; fly larva +; beetle larva 2.2;
bug nymphs +; Leptocerus larvae and cases 1.1; Leptocella
larvae and cases -f; Corethra pupae 3.3; midge pupae 2.2; fly
pupae + ; beetles .1; insects .1; Hyalella .9; Daphnia 1.9; Cerio-
daphnia .1; Chydorus .7; Alona + ; Eurycercus .9; Cyclops 11.1;
34 UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN STUDIES
ostracods 4.8; Planorbis .1; snails 26.6; clams 7.8; Sphaeridae .3;
plants 8.8; Arcella-like seeds 1.7; filamentous algae 9.5; sand
3.7; bottom 1.1; unknown 4.4.
Two small carp were examined, June 25 and July 2.
Length: 33, 73; average 53. Food: chironomid larvae 7.5;
beetle larvae 5; chironomid pupae 50; Cyclops 32.5; ostracods 5.
Dorosoma cepedianum (Le Seur), gizzard-shad
Two specimens from a commercial seine were examined on
July 13. They measured 283 mm. and 286 mm. in length and
had eaten: chironomid larvae .5; Helea larvae 1.5; filamentous
algae 22.5; sand 35.5; fine bottom debris 40.
Eupomotis gibbosus (Linnaeus), pumpkinseed
Eight small pumpkinseeds caught July 7 and 8 in a coulee
opening Lake Pepin on the Minnesota shore gave the following
results: Length: 87-102; average 92. Food: chironomid larvae
19; caddis fly larvae .3; beetle larvae .6; chironomid pupae .3;
beetles 4.4; damsel fly 1; snails 73.8; plants .8.
Esox lucius Linnaeus, pickerel
Ten pickerel were examined, June 23 to 28. Length: 104-
424; average 301. Food: fish 88.8; beetle larva 11.2. One indi-
vidual contained no food.
Hiodon tergisus Le Seur, mooneye
Nine adults caught in a commercial seine were examined;
June 25 to July 10. Length: 203-326; average: 246. Food: in-
sect eggs 2.2; chironomid larvae .6; Corethra larvae 7.2; mayfly
nymphs 3.3; Corethra pupae 25.6; chironomid pupae .3; beetles
1.4; Daphnia 36.7; Leptodora 21.9; plants .6.
Six small mooneyes, caught in a minnow seine alongshore,
were examined, July 5 to 14. Length: 28-41 ; average 35. Food:
Daphnia 54.2; Cyclops 45.8.
Ictalurus punctatus Rafinesque, channel-cat
Twelve specimens from various sources were examined,
June 23 to July 14. Length: 246-412; average 307. Food: fish
9.4; chironomid larvae 1.1; fly larvae .1; damsel fly nymphs 1.2;
mayfly nymphs 12; Sialis nymphs 26; Corixa nymphs -}- ; beetle
larvae .5; Leptocella larvae and cases 1.7; Leptocerus larvae and
FISHES OF THREE WISCONSIN LAKES 33
cases .5; chironomid pupae 3.2; insects 4.2; beetle .1; crayfishes
4.5; Hyalella + ; Cladocerans 1.8; Daphnia 12; Chydorus -f;
Leptodora 6.1; ostracods .1; oligochaetes .2; Difflugia +; plants
3.2; seeds .5; Wolffia .1; Closterium + ; filamentous algae 34.5;
diatoms .3; sand .2; bottom sediment .5. One specimen con-
tained no food.
Icthyomyzon concolor (Kirtland), silver lamprey
A specimen 206 mm. long which was taken from a spoon-
bill on July 3 contained no food.
Ictiobus bulbalis (Rafmesque), smallmouth buffalo
A specimen 323 mm. long taken in a commercial seine on
June 30 contained the following food: chironomid larvae 3;
Hyalella 10; Acroperus 1; ostracods 61; Cyclops 1; Planorbis
bicarinatus 2; Sphaeridae 15; plants 5; sand 2.
Ictiobus cyprinella (Cuvier and Valenciennes), redmouth buffalo
One individual 311 mm. long was caught in a commercial
seine on July 12. Its food consisted of Daphnia 99; Planorbis
.6; Difflugia .1; filamentous algae .3.
Ictiobus urus (Agassiz), mongrel buffalo
An individual 332 mm. long was examined on June 26, but
contained no food.
Lepisosteus osseus (Linnaeus), long-nosed gar
Two specimens were examined, June 26, July 2. Lengths:
625, 743. Food: fish 92.5; Daphnia (perhaps from fishes eaten)
7.5.
Lepisosteus platostomus Rafinesque, short-nosed gar
Three gars caught in the slews connecting into Lake Pepin
were examined on July 5, 6, and 11. Lengths: 424-522; average
475. Food: fish 3.3; crayfishes 96.7.
Leptopus olivaris (Rafinesque), mud-cat
A mud cat 420 mm. long was taken from a commercial
seine on June 27. It contained no food.
Lepomis incisor Cuvier and Valenciennes, bluegill
Ten specimens were examined, June 29 to July 12. Length:
97-208; average 136. Food: fish .5; chironomid larvae 2.5;
36 UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN STUDIES
Helea larvae -f; caterpillars .5; mayfly nymphs 8.7; damsel fly
nymphs 8 ; Leptocerus larvae and cases 2 ; chironomid pupae 2 ;
insects 7.6; midges 1.2; grasshopper 3; bugs .5; Corixa 1;
beetles 6.5; flies 2; ants .5; moths .8; mites 1.1; Hyalella 5.7;
Daphnia 13.5; Eurycercus .1; Leptodora 5; snails 6.6; oligo-
chaetes 1; plants 2.8; Ceratophyllum, 4.5; Valesneria .2; brown
seeds .1; root .5; filamentous algae .1; chara 1.8; mud 9.7.
Micropterus dolomieu Lacepede, smallmouth black bass
Nine adults from various sources were examined, June 24
to July 10. Length: 106-364; average 214. Food: fish 75;
water bug 12.5; crayfishes 12.5. One individual contained no
food.
Three small individuals were examined, June 25 to July 7.
Length: 33-40; average 37. Food: fish 6.7; chironomid larvae
1; Orthocladius larvae 53.3; Corixa nymphs 16.7; beetle larvae
1.7; Daphnia 10; Ceriodaphnia 8.3; Cyclops 1.7; ostracods .7.
Micropterus salmoides Lacepede, largemouth black bass
Two adults from a commercial seine were examined, July
6. Lengths: 178, 206. One had eaten crayfishes; the other
contained no food.
Ten small bass examined June 28 to July 5 gave the follow-
ing results: Length: 33-53; average 42. Food: Notropis hudson-
ius 18.9; chironomid larvae 3.8; damsel fly nymphs 7.8; mayfly
nymphs 10.6; Hyalella 1.7; Daphnia 20.6; Ceriodaphnia 1.2;
Eurycercus .4; Cyclops 24.7. One individual contained no food.
Morone interrupta Gill, yellow bass
A specimen caught in a commercial seine, July 10, was 242
mm. in length and had eaten: Corethra larvae 10; crayfishes 45;
Leptodora 45.
Moxostoma anisurum (Rafinesque), white-nosed sucker
Ten specimens from Lake Pepin and the slew connecting
with it were examined, June 24 to July 3. Length: 164-446;
average 349. Food: insect nymph .6; chironomid larvae 22;
Corethra larvae .2; mayfly nymphs 2.8; beetle larvae .1; chiro-
nomid pupae 1.2; Corethra pupae .1; Hyalella 1.3; Daphnia .8;
Leptodora 2.7; Cyclops 2.2; ostracods 2.8; snails .3; Sphaeri-
dae 19.9; plants 10; fine bottom sediment 6.7; sand 7.8; mud 18.
One individual contained no food.
FISHES OF THREE WISCONSIN LAKES 37
Moxostoma bremceps (Cope), short-headed red-horse
Ten specimens caught in the slews connecting with Lake
Pepin were examined, June 28, July 2. Length: 171-354; aver-
age 289. Food: insect eggs .3; chironomid larvae 60.6; mayfly
nymphs 1.7; caddis fly larvae 2.8; beetle larvae 1.1; midge
pupae 1.2; mites + ; Hyalella .6; cladocerans .1; Daphnia 4.7;
Eurycercus .2; Chydorus -f; ostracods .3; snails 1.7; plants
11.8; Ceratophyllum .6; algae 1.1; fine bottom sediment 8.7;
sand 2.7. One individual contained no food.
Notropis jejunus (Forbes), shiner
Ten specimens, caught in a minnow seine alongshore, were
examined on June 22, 25. Length: 62-74; average 67. Food:
fish 11.1; Corethra larvae .6; midge pupae 2.2; chironomid
pupae 9.5; Corethra pupae 16.7; insects 18.9; midges .6;
Daphnia 37.2; algae 1.1; filamentous algae 1.1; diatoms .3;
Closterium .2; sand .6. One individual contained no food.
Notropis hudsonius (De Witt Clinton), spot-tailed minnow
Ten individuals, caught in a minnow seine alongshore were
examined, June 29, July 5. Length: 25-28; average 27. Food:
chironomid larvae 2; caddis fly larvae and cases 3; Daphnia
51; Ceriodaphnia 42.5; Scapholeberis 1.
Notropis atherinoides Rafinesque, shiner
Six individuals caught with a minnow seine alongshore were
examined, July 12, 14. Length: 27-64; average 33. Food:
Daphnia 100. One individual contained no food.
Notropis heterodon (Cope), shiner
Three individuals were examined, July 5, 7, 9. They were
caught in a minnow seine alongshore and each had eaten a single
food, respectively: midge pupae, cladocerans, and algae. Their
lengths were 35, 35, 40.
Percina caprodes (Rafinesque), log perch
Eleven log perch, caught alongshore, were examined, June
25 to July 7. Length: 30-157; average 58. Food: chironomid
larvae 56.1; mayfly nymphs 3.3; chironomid pupae 20.8; Hya-
lella 1.7; cladocerans .3; Daphnia 1.7; Cyclops 14.1; sand 2.
Two individuals contained no food.
38 UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN STUDIES
Perca flavescens (Mitchill), yellow perch
Fifteen perch from various sources were examined, June
24-28. Length: 122-237; average 167. Food: fish 11.3; chirono-
mid larvae 20.2; Corethra larvae 8.1; mayfly nymphs 10;
chironomid pupae 6; Corethra pupae 12.3; ants (?) 3; Hyalella
.7; Daphnia 7; Leptodora 5.1; Eurycercus 6.7; snails .3; clams
5.5; bud scale .3; sand 1.7; bottom sediment 1.
Polyodon spathula (Walbaum), spoonbill
Two spoonbills from a commercial seine were examined
July 2. Length: 620, 870; average 795. Food: chironomid lar-
vae 5; mayfly nymphs 2.7; beetle .7; Daphnia 7.3; Bosmina
longirostris cornuta 31.5; Chydorus .7; Leptodora 10; Cyclops
7; ostracods 1.8; filamentous algae 10; sticks 1.3; sand 7;
"organic" mud 11.7.
Pomolobus chrysochloris Rafmesque, skipjack
Two adults from a commercial seine were examined on July
1. Lengths: 306, 326. Food: fish 99; insect larvae 1.
Pomoxis annularis Rafinesque, white crappie
No adults were examined. Six young from a minnow seine
were examined, July 7, 9, 12. Length: 33-47; average .41.
Food: chironomid larvae 8.7; midge pupae 5; Daphnia 38.7;
Leptodora 22.5; Cyclops 17.5; Diaptomus 7.7.
Pomoxis sparoides (Lacepede), black crappie
Six individuals were examined, June 29 to July 12. Length:
44-172; average 122. Food: fish 5; chironomid larvae 1; Core-
thra larvae .2; mayfly nymphs 3.6; damsel fly nymphs .8;
caterpillar .8; midge pupae .3; Corethra pupae 1.7; Corixa .8;
Hyalella 1.5; Daphnia 76.7; Eurycercus +; Leptodora 6.3;
Diaptomus 1.3; plants .8; filamentous algae .1.
Roccus chrysops (Rafinesque), white bass
Seven adults, mostly from a commercial seine, were ex-
amined, June 24 to July 10. Length: 144-323; average 242.
Food: fish 8.6; insect larvae .7; chironomid larvae 5; Sialis
nymphs 1; Corethra pupae 23.6; Corixa 1.4; Daphnia 5.7;
Leptodora 53.9.
FISHES OF THREE WISCONSIN LAKES 39
Five small specimens were examined, July 9. Length: 46-
51; average 49. Food: fish 70; chironomid pupae 4; Hyalella 2;
Daphnia 11; Leptodora 13.
Scaphirhnchus platorhynchus (Rafinesque), hackleback
Twelve specimens were examined, June 23, 30. Length:
565-680; average 627. Food: chironomid larvae 17.5; Corethra
larvae 2.7; caddis fly larvae +; Sialis nymphs 8.9; mayfly
nymphs .3; chironomid pupae .5; Corethra pupae 2.9; Corixa
+ ; Hyalella .7; Daphnia 23.7; Leptodora 38.1; Cyclops .2;
snail .7; Sphaeridae .2; young clams 1.2; gordiacean (from insect
larva?) + ; Ceratophyllum -f-J Chara +; stick .2; filamentous
algae .1; sand 1.1; bottom debris 1.7.
Schilbeodes gyrinus (Mitchill), tadpole cat
Five specimens were caught with a dip net, June 23 — July 1.
Length: 16-67; average 44. Food: chironomid larvae 30; may-
fly nymphs 27.5; mites 2; Hyalella 39.5; ostracods .5; filamen-
tous algae .5. One individual contained no food.
Stizostedion canadense griseum (De Kay), sauger
Ten saugers were examined, June 22 to 24. Length: 113-
275; average 206. Food: fish 65; small pike 10; chironomid
larvae 2.5; Hyalella 1; Daphnia .5; Leptodora 1; Cyclops 1.5;
ostracods 2; mud 2.5; bottom debris (partly chironomid tubes)
4; unknown 10.
Stizostedion mtreum (Mitchill), wall-eyed pike
Eleven adults, taken in a commercial seine, were examined,
June 25 to July 10. Length: 330-415; average 386. Food:
fish 79; Sialis nymphs 21.
Five small pike caught alongshore in a minnow seine July
25 furnished the following data: Length 48-53; average 52.
Food: fish 30; chironomid pupae 13; Daphnia 52; Leptodora .4;
Cyclops 3; unknown 2.
FOOD OF THE FISHES IN LAKE MICHIGAN
Ambloplites rupestris (Rafinesque), rock bass
Six specimens were examined, July 23 to August 6. Length:
132-200; average 156. Food: minnows 17.5; mayfly nymphs
21.7; crayfishes 60.8.
40
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN STUDIES
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FISHES OF THREE WISCONSIN LAKES 41
Ameiurus melas (Rafinesque), black bullhead
Four specimens were examined, July 20-24. Length: 196-
218; average 208. Food: chironomid larvae 1.1; mayfly nymphs
1; chironomid pupae. 1; dragon flies 23.8; Cambarus mrilis 71.3;
Hyalella 1.8; Eurycercus -f; plants .5; Scirpus 1.5.
Ameiurus natalis (Le Seur), yellow bullhead
One specimen 216 mm. long was examined July 21 and con-
tained no food.
Ameiurus nebulosus (Le Seur), speckled bullhead
Six speckled bullheads were examined, July 21, 23. Length:
196-276; average 232. Food: fish 28.3; chironomid larvae 3;
chironomid pupae .2; crayfishes 29.7; Hyalella 30.3; Asellus
.2; Daphnia 1.7; Eurycercus .2; Physa 1; plants .8; fine
debris 3; unknown 1.7.
Boleosoma nigrum (Rafinesque), Johnny darter
Four individuals were caught in Sturgeon Bay with a min-
now seine, July 19, 21. Length: 24-46; average 31. Food:
chironomid larvae 92; cladocerans 1.3; Eurycercus 3.8; Acro-
perus .5; Cyclops 2.5.
Catostomus catostomus (Forster), long-nosed sucker
Four individuals were examined, July 22, 27. Length: 402-
430; average 414. Food: midge pupae .3; arthropods 42.3;
Pontoporeia hoyi 38.3; Sphaeridae 5.3; seed +; sand 6.3; cal-
cium carbonate crystals 7.5.
Catostomus commersonii (Lacepede), common sucker
Eleven adults were examined July 23 to August 6. Length:
175-335; average 262. Food: chironomid larvae 12.7; mayfly
nymphs 7.1; Agraylea larvae and cases .5; Leptocerus larvae
and cases .3; chironomid pupae .2; mite .1; amphipods 7.2;
Hyalella 3.5; Asellus 1.5; entomostracans 1; Daphnia 1; Cerio-
daphnia 5.6; Eurycercus 9; Pleuroxus +; Alona 6; ostracods
1.5; Sphaeridae 6.1; Physa 2.1; Amnicola .7; Planorbis .8;
plants .1; sand 26.3; fine bottom sediment 8.9. One specimen
contained no food.
Eight small individuals were examined, July 19, 29. Length:
29-37; average 33, Food: chironomid larvae 1.9; Hyalella 3.4;
42 UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN STUDIES
Asellus 3.8; Daphnia 1.2; Chydorus 1.4; Alona 25.6; Cyclops 2.1;
ostracods 54.1; Difflugia .4; sand 3.3; fine bottom debris .6.
Coregonus cupeiformis (Mitchill), whitefish
Three specimens, examined on July 22, furnished the fol-
lowing data: Length: 412-448; average 429. Food: chironomid
larvae .3; Pontoporeia hoyi 50; Sphaeridae 25; gordiacean (from
insect larvae?) +; stick .3; sand 24.3.
Cristvomer namaycush (Walbaum), lake trout
Ten specimens were examined on July 22 and 26. Length:
236-580; average 378. Food: fish 46; Uranidea21; Leucichthys
hoyi 23; grasshoppers 10. One individual, taken in a gill net at
a depth of seventy fathoms and twelve miles from shore, had
three grasshoppers in its stomach and the remains of others in
its intestine.
Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus, carp
On July 22 one individual was caught in a gill net set in a
swampy region along the shore of Sturgeon Bay. Length: 606.
Food: chironomid larvae 15; caddis fly larvae 1; crayfishes 20;
Daphnia 2; Eurycercus 20; ostracods 2; Sphaeridae 15; plants
5; fine bottom sediment 20.
Esox Indus Linnaeus, pickerel
Fifteen pickerel were examined, July 20 to August 3.
Length: 157-764; average 494. Food: fish 54.7; perch 11.4;
cisco 27.1; mayfly nymphs 7.1. One individual contained no
food.
Etheostoma iowae Jordan and Meek, Iowa darter
Five of these darters were examined on July 19. Length:
41-45; average 42. Food; chironomid larvae 56; chironomid
pupae 10; Hyalella 24; Daphnia 2; oligochaetes 8.
Eupomotis gibbosus (Linnaeus), pumpkinseed
Three pumpkinseeds were caught along the marshy areas in
Sturgeon Bay, July 19, 23. Length: 140-156; average 149.
Food: Pimephales 6.7; chironomid larvae 40.7; Agraylea lar-
vae and cases 1; mayfly nymphs 3.3; Sialis nymphs 13.3; chiro-
nomid pupae 9.3; beetle 6.3; Daphnia .7; Eurycercus 1.7; snails
6.3; plants 1.7; seeds 3.3; chironomid tubes 5.
FISHES OP THREE WISCONSIN LAKES 43
Fundulus diaphanus menona Jordan and Copeland, top-minnow
One specimen was examined July 19. Length 58. Food:
chironomid larvae 55; chironomid pupae 25; snails 10; Physa 10.
Leucichthys hoyi (Gill), bloater
Ten bloaters were examined, July 22. Length: 116-247;
average 184. Food: Mysis 60; Pontoporeia 39; Diaptomus .1;
Sphaeridae .8; seed .1. Five individuals contained no food.
Leucichthys harengus (Richardson), herring
Five specimens were taken at Little Harbor July 31 and
August 3. Length: 172-247; average 208. Food: fish 1; Ponto-
poreia 56.2; mayfly nymphs 7; mayflies 12; Sphaeridae 2.4;
seeds .2; old wood 1.2.
Leucichthys johannae (Wagner), chub
Eight chubs were examined, July 26, 27. Length: 207-312;
average 237. Food: Mysis 80; Pontoporeia 14.3; Sphaeridae
2.9; bottom ooze 2.9. One individual contained no food.
Leucichthys nigripinnis (Gill), blackfin
Two individuals were studied, June 24. Length 308, 325;
average 317. Food: Mysis 90; Diaptomus 10. One individual
contained no food.
Leucichthys prognathus (H. M. Smith), longjaw
One longjaw, 364 mm. in length, examined July 17, con-
tained no food.
Lota maculosa (Le Seur), lawyer
Ten lotas were examined, July 22, 27. Length: 350-560;
average 472. Food: fish 43.8; bloaters 40; Mysis 8.9; amphipods
3.3; Sphaeridae .6; bottom mud 2.8. One individual con-
tained no food.
Micropterus dolomieu Lacepede, smallmouth black bass
Two specimens, measuring 387 and 155 mm. were examined,
July 19, 24. Food: fish 50; perch 30; Pimephales 18.5; chara
1.5.
44 UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN STUDIES
Micropterus salmoides (Lacepede), largemouth black bass
A little bass 48 mm. long caught on August 3 had eaten
nothing but fish.
Notemigonus crysoleucas (Mitchill), bream
Five breams were examined, July 19, 21. Length: 49-81;
average 62. Food: chironomid pupae 26; Hyalella 2; Daphnia
70.8; Cyclops .2; Chara 1.
Notropis atherinoides Rafinesque, shiner
Seven specimens were examined, July 21. Length: 48-75;
average 59. Food: chironomid pupae 49.7; midges 50; sand .4.
One individual contained no food.
Notropis hudsonius (De Witt Clinton), shiner
Eleven shiners were examined, July 19, 21, 29. Length:
29-51; average 39. Food chironomid larvae 14.4; chironomid
pupae 2; Hyalella 18; Daphnia 21; Alona 7.3; Cyclops 4.1;
ostracods 28.2; mud .5; sand 4.5. One individual contained
no food.
Necturus maculosus Rafinesque, mud puppy2
A mud puppy was caught on a trot-line in Sturgeon Bay,
July 20. Its food consisted of: fish 3; minnows 97.
Perca flavescens (Mitchill), yellow perch
Twenty- two adult perch were examined, July 19 to August
5. Length: 117-240; average 163. Food: fish 12.8; ciscoes 5.2;
minnows 5; chironomid larvae 1.1; mayfly nymphs 38.9; chiro-
nomid pupae .6; amphipods 1.2; isopods 2.5; crayfishes 12.8;
Mysis 19; Alona +; Daphnia 1.1; Eurycercus .2; Chydorus +;
ostracods .1; mud 2.8; unknown 3.1. Four individuals con-
tained no food.
Five small perch were examined, July 19. Length 71-87;
average 77. Food: Micropterus dolomieu 3; chironomid larvae
13.4; damsel fly larvae 6; chironomid pupae 3.8; crayfishes 16;
Hyalella 32.8; Asellus 8; Daphnia 9.6; Eurycercus .4; Cyclops
2.2; ostracods .4; plant .2.
» Not a fish.
FISHES OF THREE WISCONSIN LAKES
45
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SUIt?i;[)
spodado;}
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T-I OOlO • • »-l • • • O\
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CM CS CS O
iO • -O • -fO
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46 UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN STUDIES
Percina caprodes (Rafinesque), log-perch
Five of these darters were collected in Little Harbor, Au-
gust 3, 5. Length: 77-100; average 88. Food: chironomid lar-
vae 17.4; mayfly nymphs 15.6; caddis fly larvae and cases 8;
Psephenus larvae 4; chironomid pupae 1.8; Asellus 19; Daphnia
34.2.
Pimephales notatus (Rafinesque), blunt-nosed minnow
Five specimens were examined, July 19. Length: 48-62;
average 55. Food: chironomid larvae 18; chironomid pupae
21; Daphnia 14; fine debris 25; sand 2; unknown 20.
Uranidea kumlienii Hoy, cottid
Five specimens were examined, July 22, 26. Length 61-
103; average 81. Food: Mysis 57.5; Pontoporeia 42.5. One
individual contained no food.
FOOD OF FISHES IN LAKE GENEVA
Amblo pities rupestris (Rafinesque), rock bass
Six adults were examined, August 9-14. Length: 140-222;
average 197. Food: fish 35; insect eggs 1.7; mayfly nymphs
20.8; dragon fly nymphs 7.5; beetle 10; crayfishes 20.8;
Daphnia 2.5; bottom mud 1.7.
Eight small individuals, studied August 9-20, furnished the
following data: Length: 22-96; average 39. Food: chironomid
larvae 24.5; mayfly nymphs 18.8; chironomid pupae .2; insects
4.4; midges 17.5; mites 2.5; crayfishes 11.8; Hyalella 3.1;
Daphnia 8.8; Eurycercus 4.5.
Catostomus commersonii (Lacepede), common sucker
Ten individuals were examined, August 13-19. Length:
145-350; average 200. Food: insect larva .1; chironomid lar-
vae 15.7; Helea larvae +; mayfly nymphs .4; Sialis nymphs .5;
Leptocella larvae and cases .8; Molanna larvae and cases .1;
beetle larvae .3; bugs .2; Hyalella 8.5; cladocerans .5; Pleuroxus
+ ; Chydorus +; Alona +; Daphnia 11.6; Cyclops .5; ostracods
5.7; snails 20.3; Sphaeridae 1.1; oligochaetes 3.7; plants .3;
algae .1; bottom sediment 13.6; sand 15.4.
Eupomotis gibbosus (Linnaeus), pumpkinseed
No large pumpkinseeds were caught, but eight small indi-
viduals were examined, August 10-18. Length: 81-115; aver-
FISHES OF THREE WISCONSIN LAKES 47
age 90. Food: chironomid larvae 49.1; mayfly nymphs 13;
caddis fly larvae 1.3; Leptocerus larvae and cases .3; beetle lar-
vae .3; Psephenus larvae 1.9; chironomid pupae 1.6; mites .1;
Hyalella 5; snails 22.6; Ancylus .3; Sphaeridae 2.3; oligochaetes
.6; Chara .3; seeds .1; filamentous algae .1; sedimentary debris
1.3.
Esox lucius Linnaeus, pickerel
Nine pickerel were examined, August 13-26. Length: 415-645;
average 615. Food: fish 833; ciscoes 16.7. Three individuals
contained no food.
Leucichthys artedisisco Jordan, cisco
Twelve ciscoes were examined, August 24, 25. Length:
200-248; average 225. Food: Daphnia 88; Cyclops 11; Sphaeri-
dae 1. Two individuals contained no food.
Lepomis incisor Cuvier and Valenciennes, bluegill
One adult, 153 mm. in length was examined, August 14. It
had eaten: chironomid larvae 2; plants 98.
Eleven small bluegills were examined, August 9-17. Length :
64-84; average 69. Food: insect eggs .1; chironomid larvae 53;
chironomid larvae in tubes 3.6; mayfly nymphs .1; Agraylea
larvae and cases 5; Psephenus larvae 6; chironomid pupae 1.7;
insects 2.3; Plea-}-; midges .9; beetles .9; mites 5.5; spiders .5;
Hyalella 12.5; Daphnia 7.5; Pleuroxus .1; Bosmina .1; ostracods
.4; snails .1 ; plants .1 ; Arcella-like seeds .1 ; filamentous algae .5;
sand 2; sedimentary debris .5.
Micropterus dolomieu Lacepede, smallmouth black bass
Twenty smallmouth bass over 100 mm. in length were ex-
amined, August 10-25. Length 105-350; average 220. Food:
fish 23.2; perch 11.9; mayfly nymphs 7.4; Sialis nymphs 1.9;
insects 18.1; bugs 1.4; mayflies 6.9; beetles 3.4; crane fly .4;
crayfishes 21.9; Leptodora .4; Ceratophyllum .1; unknown 3.1.
Four individuals contained no food.
One individual, 95 mm. long, was examined August 10. It
had eaten: Mayfly nymphs 20; midges 80.
Micropterus salmoides (Lacepede), large mouth black bass
Five adults were examined, August 12-23. Length: 185-
322; average 256. Food: fish 53; chironomid pupae 2; mayflies
20; crayfishes 20; plants 5.
48 UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN STUDIES
Ten small individuals were examined, August 12, 16. Length
42-52; average 46. Food: fish 9; chironomid larvae 7.2; mayfly
nymphs 9; bug nymphs 1.5; chironomid pupae 14.5; insects 1.5;
Daphnia 51.4; Ceriodaphnia 1.5; Diaptomus 3.3; ostracods .1.
Notropis hudsonius (De Witt Clinton), shiner
Twelve shiners were studied, August 12-19. Length: 33-53;
average 41. Food: chironomid larvae 22.1; chironomid pupae
2.1; insects 17.3; midges 1.3; entomostracans 3.8; Daphnia 38.3;
mite .4; oligochaetes 11.7; filamentous algae .4; mud (chirono-
mid larval tubes?) 1.7.
Perca flavescens (Mitchill), yellow perch
Nineteen perch were examined, August 10-21. Length: 98-
195; average 138. Food: fish 5.3; chironomid larvae 15.8; may-
fly nymphs 2.8; Sialis nymphs 1.1; caddis fly larvae .7; beetle
larvae .1; crayfishes 5.6; Hyalella 19.9; Daphnia 25,3; Eury-
cercus .2; Leptodora 8; Diaptomus .3; ostracods .1; snails 2.7;
plants .6; Arcella-like seeds -f; bottom 11.1. One individual
contained no food.
Salvelinus fontinalis (Mitchill), brook trout
A specimen, 315 mm. long, caught August 24, had eaten
nothing but chironomid pupae.
Stizostedion mtreum (Mitchill), wall-eyed pike
Ten pike were examined; August 13-24. Length: 208-300.
Average 274. Food: fish 75; perch 25. Two individuals con-
tained no food.
DISCUSSION or FOODS OF FISHES IN ALL LAKES
The observations on the foods eaten by the fishes in Lake Win-
gra are not extensive enough to be compared with those from
other lakes and the following discussion therefore relates to five
Wisconsin lakes. The foods are summarized in Tables IX to
XII.
The following list gives the classes of foods and the lakes in
which the foods were found to be eaten by fishes. The lakes are
arranged according to the volume of the total that each item
FISHES OF THREE WISCONSIN LAKES 49
constituted in their food. The lake showing the largest amount
comes first.
Birds — Pepin.
Fishes — Geneva, Michigan, Mendota, Pepin, Green.
Immature Insects — Geneva, Green, Michigan, Pepin, Mendota.
Adult Insects — Mendota, Geneva, Green, Michigan, Pepin.
Mites — Geneva, Green, Pepin, Mendota, Michigan.
Crayfishes — Pepin, Michigan, Green, Mendota, Geneva.
Mysis — Michigan, Green.
Amphipods — Green, Michigan, Geneva, Mendota, Pepin.
Isopods — M i chigan.
Cladocerans — Pepin, Geneva, Mendota, Michigan, Green.
Copepods — Pepin, Mendota, Geneva, Michigan, Green.
Ostracods — Mendota, Pepin, Green, Michigan, Geneva.
Clams — Green, Michigan, Pepin, Mendota.
Snails — Mendota, Green, Geneva, Pepin, Michigan.
Leeches — Mendota, Green.
Oligochaetes — Green, Michigan, Geneva, Mendota, Pepin.
Rotifers — Pepin.
Sponges — Pepin.
Protozoans — Pepin, Mendota, Michigan.
Plants — Mendota, Green, Pepin, Geneva, Michigan.
Algae — Mendota, Pepin, Green, Geneva, Michigan.
Bottom — Pepin, Mendota, Green, Michigan, Geneva.
Calcium carbonate crystals — Michigan.
Unknown — Michigan, Pepin, Green, Geneva.
Fishes, immature insects, adult insects, mites, crayfishes,
amphipods, cladocerans, copepods, ostracods, clams, snails,
oligochaetes, flowering plants, algae, and bottom sediment were
eaten by fishes in all the lakes. The bird eaten by a bullhead in
Lake Pepin probably came from a nest that had been covered
by high water, and such an event would seldom, if ever, happen
in any of the other lakes. Isopods were found as a constituent of
food only in Lake Michigan; rotifers and sponges, only in Lake
Pepin. Leeches were found in Mendota and Green Lake; pro-
tozoans in Pepin, Mendota, and Michigan. Mysis and calcium
carbonate crystals were found only in fishes caught in the depths
of lakes where there was cool water which contained oxygen.
Of the twenty-three classes of foods in the dietary of all the
fishes studied, more than half were eaten by fishes in all the lakes.
50
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN STUDIES
TABLE XII
COMPARISON OF FOODS EATEN BY THE FISHES IN GREEN LAKE (1919), LAKE
MENDOTA (1919), LAKE PEPIN (1920), LAKE MICHIGAN (1920),
LAKE GENEVA (1920).
Foods
1
•1
g
« S5
i
13
22
31
|
4d O
3s
<
Birds
13
026
Fishes
9 6
16.8
15 4
21 8
23 1
17 35
Immature insects
Adult insects
28.4
3.3
16.4
17.1
21.2
1.6
21.9
2
30.4
6.6
23.66
6.12
Mites
4
-j-
09
+
78
254
Crayfishes
6 8
6 8
7 9
7 2
4 4
6 62
Mysis
.3
2.26
Amphipods
16 5
2.9
1 7
4.2
3 9
5.84
Isopods
.94
.188
Cladocerans
7.6
9
24 7
8
18.9
13.64
Copepods
.1
1.6
4 9
.71
1.2
1.702
Ostracods
3
3 7
3 6
2 1
52
2 584
Clams
4 1
-f
1 9
2.1
37
1 694
Snails
4 4
5
2 9
1.1
3.9
3.46
Leeches
5
6
.22
Oligochaetes
6
.4
03
2.9
1.3
2.126
Round worms
+
-f-
+
+
+
Rotifers
.12
.24
Sponges
4-
-f
03
+
006
Protozoans
+
1
+
.02
Plants
4 5
8 2
1 9
.61
.92
3.226
Algae
.2
5.2
3 8
+
.12
1.864
Bottom
4.5
5.5
7 5
4.4
3.6
5.10
Calcium carbonate
29
058
Unknown
.4
.1
.5
.9
.25
.43
The classes of foods grouped under the lake where they were
found in largest amount are as follows:
Pepin— birds, crayfishes, cladocerans, copepods, rotifers, sponges, proto-
zoans, bottom sediment.
Mendota — adult insects, ostracods, snails, leeches, plants, algae.
Green Lake — amphipods, clams, oligochaetes.
Lake Geneva — fishes, immature insects, mites.
Lake Michigan — Mysis, isopods, calcium carbonate crystals.
Some foods were eaten in greater quantity in lakes that were
most like rivers: birds, cladocerans, copepods, rotifers, sponges,
protozoans, bottom sediment. Other foods were found less often
where conditions were like rivers and increased where typical
lacustrine conditions prevailed: fishes, Mysis, amphipods,
isopods, oligochaetes, calcium carbonate crystals. Some foods
eaten in about the same amount in all types of lakes: immature
FISHES OF THREE WISCONSIN LAKES 51
insects, crayfishes, ostracods, clams. Adult insects were eaten in
great quantity in Lake Mendota, which has very rich stores of
food and varied shores. Three foods apparently depend upon the
abundance of aquatic vegetation present : snails, flowering plants
and algae.
According to the average amount consumed in all the lakes,
the foods rank in the following order (Table XII) : immature in-
sects, fishes, cladocerans, crayfishes, adult insects, amphipods,
bottom sediment, snails, plants, ostracods, Mysis, oligochaetes,
algae, copepods, clams, mites, rotifers, leeches, calcium car-
bonate crystals, protozoans, sponges, roundworms. The first
three items in this list constitute more than half of the food of
the fishes in the five lakes under consideration.
The fishes which are shown to take large quantities of par-
ticular foods are as follows (Tables IX to XII, and Pearse,
1921):
Birds — speckled bullhead.
Fishes — yellow bullhead, lake trout, pickerel, long-nosed gar, lawyer, sau-
ger, wall-eyed pike; and to a certain extent white bass, large- and smallmouth
black bass.
Immature insects — pirate perch, Johnny darter, pumpkinseed, Iowa darter,
short-headed red-horse, silversides, log-perch, skip-jack.
Adult insects — smallmouth black bass.
Crayfishes — eel, black bullhead (Lake Michigan), yellow bullhead, rock
bass, duck-billed gar.
Amphipods — common sucker, whitefish, cisco (Lake Mendota, Green Lake)
Mysis — ciscoes (Lake Michigan), deep-water cottids.
Cladocerans — mooneye, red-mouth buffalo, two shiners (Notropis jejunus
and N. hudsonius), spoonbill, crappies, hackleback sturgeon, tadpole cat.
Ostracods — smallmouth buffalo.
Clams — sheepshead .
Snails — pumpkinseed.
Plants— bluegill.
Algae — channel cat, gizzard shad.
Bottom sediment — two quillbacks (Carpoides carpio, C. Ihompsoni), giz-
zard shad, white-nosed sucker, and to some extent the blunt-nosed minnow.
A number of species of fishes did not show a marked prefer-
ence for any particular food or distributed their feeding activi-
ties among several foods. The sheepshead ate immature
insects, clams, and cladocerans. The speckled bullhead had a
varied diet. The common sucker had, in different lakes, eaten
considerable amounts of snails, clams, algae, amphipods and
52 UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN STUDIES
copepods. The carp is an omnivorous feeder. Other fishes
which show a rather varied diet are top minnow, bluegill, the
two species of black bass, a shiner (Notropis heterodon), bream,
and blunt-nosed minnow. The yellow perch relies chiefly on
three common foods: immature insects, cladocerans, fishes.
There were several species which showed considerable ability
to change their foods with different environments. It is hard
to understand why the rock bass ate many crayfishes in all the
lakes except Geneva, where crayfishes were most abundant
(Tables II-V). In Lake Michigan the black bullhead ate largely
of crayfishes, but in Pepin took a variety of foods. The yellow
bullhead ate fishes or crayfishes. The ciscoes in Lake Michigan
ate Mysis and Pontoporeia, but in Lake Geneva, where Mysis
probably does not occur, they were filled with cladocerans, and
in Lake Mendota had partaken largely of immature insects.
The shiners of the genus Notropis showed differences in food
habits in different lakes. In Lake Pepin they fed largely on
cladocerans, but in Green, Mendota, and Michigan had turned
to immature insects. The white bass in Lake Pepin ate clado-
cerans and fishes, but in Lake Mendota fed on adult insects.
PISHES OF THREE WISCONSIN LAKES 53
GENERAL DISCUSSION OF THE FOOD AND DISTRI-
BUTION OF FISHES IN WISCONSIN LAKES
As an environment for fishes a lake possesses certain qualities
which differ from those in a swamp or a river. Perhaps the
chief characteristic of a lake, as compared with other aquatic
habitats, is stability. It is comparatively quiet; its water level
does not fluctuate much; if it has sufficient depth, its water
stratifies and the deeper parts are always cool; its supplies of
food are about the same each year; its seasonal cycles occur
with regularity. A lake is dependable. A swamp or a river
cannot be relied upon — temperatures vary to extremes with
seasons and weather; floods or droughts change the whole en-
vironment, affect the food supplies, and often interfere with
reproduction. The fishes in a lake have a limited range, but
enjoy the advantages of a stable environment.
The observations discussed in this paper indicate that as the
conditions in lakes approach those in swamps the number of
fishes per unit of area becomes larger. In other words a shallow,
vegetation-filled lake contains more fishes in proportion to its
area than a larger lake with fewer aquatic plants. The reason
for this is probably that the great stores of foods occurring in
swamps are associated in these lakes with some of the stability
inherent in lake habitats. Yet small, shallow lakes are not the
optimum habitats for lake fishes. The species which flourish
in them (crappie, sunfishes, dogfish, bullheads, black basses, etc.)
are those which frequent aquatic vegetation. The true lake
fishes (ciscoes, trout, lawyers, yellow perch, etc.) are usually
absent, and when present, though sometimes abundant, never
attain great size.
The observations also indicate that rivers, at least in sum-
mer, contain fewer fishes per unit of area than lakes. For fishes
a river is a highway and a refuge. It gives access to the stores
of food in swamps and lakes, and in winter furnishes an environ-
ment which is fairly stable. However, a river is not capable of
producing much fish food within itself. The food resources
available to lake fishes in the bottom mud cannot occur in
quantity in rivers because the bottom is continually changing.
54 UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN STUDIES
The most abundant bottom fish in Lake Pepin, the hackleback,
secured only one third of its food from the bottom; the re-
mainder consisted largely of plankton. That the river itself is
not an important habitat for fishes is also indicated by the fact
that Lake Pepin is the only lake among those studied in which
a large number of fishes were caught in the shallowest zone.
The fishes, except in winter when larger fishes eat little or noth-
ing (Pearse and Achtenberg, 1920, p. 313), are largely in shal-
low water, not in the lake itself.
There are certain fishes that belong ecologically to rivers,
small streams, swamps, or lakes. Some species of fishes are re-
stricted to certain habitats in particular communities; others
range through a wide variety of habitats and communities, but
there is of course no fish that is not limited by the factors in its
environment. The more limited a fish is, the more restricted is
its range and the fewer it is in numbers. If all the lakes studied
are considered together, the most abundant species are those
which are least limited and are therefore able to take advantags
of the greatest number of chances for growth, survival, and re-
production. Darters are most abundant in streams and ciscoee
in the depths of lakes; perch and carp are found in' a variety of
habitats. The common eel of northern South America has the
greatest ecological range of any fish studied by the writer (1920)
— from the depths of lakes to the ditches and drain pipes in
cities.
In temperate regions there are three types of lakes, the
classification depending primarily on the temperatures and
dissolved gases (Birge and Juday, 1911): (1) shallow lakes which
have a rather uniform temperature from top to bottom at all
seasons, (2) deep lakes which are at times thermally stratified
but which contain oxygen throughout at all seasons, (3) deep
lakes which are thermally stratified and in which oxygen is ab-
sent from the deeper, cooler parts during certain seasons. In
the following paragraphs some of the important factors which
limit the distribution of fishes are discussed.
Shores vary in their nature and the different types are im-
portant for fishes. Boulders and rocks are associated with cur-
rents and wave action; mud, with quiet water; and sand with
intermediate conditions. The rock bass, fantail darter, and
miller's thumb are found on rocky shores. Among the lakes dis-
FISHES OF THREE WISCONSIN LAKES 55
cussed in this paper, Lake Geneva has the most strikingly
rocky shores. The rock bass is most abundant in this lake as is
its favorite food — the crayfish — which commonly hides among
stones alongshore.
Transparency of water. In all but one of the lakes more
species of fishes were found in the first five meters below the
surface than in any deeper zone. In Lake Pepin a comparatively
large number of fishes was caught per hour in the upper five
meter zone. In the most transparent lake studied (Table V)
the preponderance of the fishes in the second five meters below
the surface was very striking. The more transparent the water
in a lake is, the deeper can the aquatic vegetation migrate.
Most shore fishes are associated with the zones where water
plants are found.
Depth. The depth of a lake is important in many ways.
The summer temperature may be gradually less at greater
depths; the pressure increases downward; the dissolved gases are
influenced by the stagnation due to thermal stratification.
Though more species are usually found in the shallower parts of
lakes, there are some true deep-water fishes which are not
found except in cool depths where the pressure is great: certain
ciscoes, lawyer, etc. Some fishes, though they commonly feed
on the bottom and are found in lakes where there is abundant
bottom food and oxygen at all depths, are perhaps kept from
feeding on the bottom by some factor associated with depth.
Apparently the perch in Green Lake and Lake Michigan would
gain much by feeding on the bottom everywhere, as they do in
other lakes which are not so deep, but they do not do so.
Vegetation. Many of the shore fishes spend most of their
lives in or near the shore vegetation. The bluegill is caught in
lakes much more than the pumpkinseed, which has similar
habits — apparently because it feeds more from the surface. The
pumpkinseed is always found among vegetation and the writer
has never seen it in an "open" lake. Vegetation supplies food,
directly and indirecly, and furnishes shelter for fishes. Kofoid
(1903, p. 496), in speaking of lakes has stated that, "whenever
the depth of the water, the currents, the winds, or other factors
prevent the development of a submerged aquatic flora — the en-
tire production of the lake takes the form of plankton and, in
turn, of those larger species, insect larvae, molluscs, and fish,
56 UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN STUDIES
which are directly or indirectly supported by it." It is doubtless
true that there is a reciprocal relation between the larger vege-
tation and the phyto-plankton, but Kofoid ignores the bottom
fauna and detritus feeders which constitute an important part
of the food resources in a lake. Furthermore, some shallow
lakes (Wingra) have much aquatic vegetation and much plank-
ton.
Bottom. The soft bottom mud in lakes may support an abun-
dant fauna of insect larvae, Sphaeridae, annelids, and proto-
zoans. These animals live on the remains of plankton animals,
the organic ooze, fragments of leaves, sticks, and other organic
materials from land. Bottom mud and the animals inhabiting it
are important fish foods. If the bottom is sandy fewer fishes
frequent it (compare Lake Pepin and Green Lake, Tables II,
VI).
Variation in height of water. Lake Pepin is the only lake
studied that shows a marked variation in the height of the water.
Shira (1917) has suggested that the buffalo is dependent on over-
flowed bottoms for spawning. In this connection the experience
of Mr. W. E. Wiedner, who has operated a commercial seine in
Lake Mendota for six years, is of interest. He has never seen a
small buffalo, but frequently catches adults. He believes the
fishes entered the lake from the Rock River years ago and, since
the outlet has been dammed, find conditions unsuitable for
spawning. The writer has seined extensively along the shores
of Lake Mendota and has never caught a small buffalo. The
overflow of the shores of lakes enables fishes to invade new feed-
ing grounds. The writer once examined a carp from Lake Mo-
nona which had eaten bluegrass from a pasture. The bullhead
mentioned in this paper as having eaten a young bird doubtless
got its meal from overflowed land. Falling water often leaves
fishes stranded, and many die annually.
Current. Currents are usually not important in lakes.
Some fishes, like certain darters and the smallmouth black bass
which frequent swift, clear streams, are also found along the
rocky or sandy shores of clear lakes. In Lake Geneva there are
many bass, but no darters. The absence of the latter has no
apparent explanation.
Gases. In thermally stratified lakes it is important for
fishes whether the deeper parts become stagnant or not. In
FISHES OF THREE WISCONSIN LAKES 57
deep lakes which stagnate (Mendota, Geneva) the perch is the
dominant deep-water fish. In those which have oxygen at all
depths throughout the year (Green, Michigan), the ciscoes are
the most abundant fishes in deep water.
Size of lake. The size of a lake has a direct effect on wave
action along its shores. A small lake usually has much aquatic
vegetation at its margins while a large lake, like Lake Michigan,
has rather barren, rocky or sandy shores. The total body of
water in a lake is important in connection with contamination,
temperature cycles, etc. For commercial fishing on a large
scale a large lake is best, because it has greater resources and
will last longer before its fishes are exhausted. Such a lake is
not inexhaustible, however.
Behavior. The behavior of fishes limits them to certain
areas. Some species react to the stimuli that they encounter so
as to remain in deep water, others respond so as to remain in or
near vegetation, etc. It is important to remember that fishes
choose the habitats in which they are found.
Reproduction. Fishes of course cannot persist where they
are cut off from suitable conditions for breeding. Some species
require rocky shoals, others vegetation, etc. If the proper en-
vironment for spawning is lacking a fish is excluded from a lake,
though food may be abundant and other factors important for
everyday life may be favorable.
Food. The foods of fishes in all lakes are, in order of impor-
tance, insects, plankton crustaceans, larger crustaceans, mol-
luscs, mud, plants, and certain minor aquatic animals. The
results discussed in this paper show that in a lake (Pepin) where
conditions most resemble those in rivers, plankton, bottom sedi-
ment, and crayfishes are the important foods. There are fishes
present with specialized food habits which feed primarily on
these particular foods — mooneye, spoonbill, duck-billed gar,
red-horses, quillbacks, etc. In the more isolated inland lakes,
fishes, insects, molluscs, and plants are the important foods.
In Lake Michigan the important fishes feed largely on the deep
water crustaceans.
Civilization. The activities of man are important for lake
fishes. The decrease of many species is doubtless due to the
"march of civilization." Examples are the buffalo and spoonbill
in Lake Pepin, the whitefish in Lake Michigan, and the ciscoes
58 UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN STUDIES
in Lake Geneva. The present generation is awake to the im-
portance of "conservation," but few people realize how impor-
tant it is to preserve the completeness of the environment. The
Mississippi cannot continue to furnish buttons and food fishes
if the swamps along its borders are drained and used for agri-
culture. The ultimate value of changes which involve the elim-
ination of great living natural resources should be carefully
considered before being undertaken. Sometimes two branches
of commerce help each other. The chief clam-eating fishes in
Lake Pepin are the carp and sheepshead. The same two fishes
are yielding the best profits to fishermen. The growth of clams
for buttons is fostered by commercial seining in the Mississippi.
The productiveness of a lake depends on various combina-
tions of the factors just considered. Lake Pepin, which has in-
timate association with the Mississippi River, according to the
writer's catches contained the greatest number of species, but
the smallest number of fishes per unit of area. The largest
numbers of fishes per unit of area were found in the inland lakes
with considerable vegetation and rich bottom faunas. The two
deep, clear inland lakes with little vegetation and plankton both
rank ahead of Lake Michigan in this respect. Lake Geneva has
the most limited fauna in species.
From these facts it appears that the factors which make
fishes numerous in a lake are abundant food and vegetation.
But these factors, while they permit numbers to exist, do not
necessarily allow fishes to reach their maximum degree of per-
fection. Lake Wingra contains more fishes than Lake Mendota
per unit of area, but its lake fishes are small in size. Lake Men-
dota with its varied shores and greater depth offers a more fav-
orable environment in which fishes may develop to large size.
Lake Michigan, which is thinly populated, produces some gigan-
tic fishes.
Lake Geneva and Green Lake present the most monotonous
environments of any of the lakes studied, and, probably on that
account, contain the smallest number of species. However,
Lake Geneva contains the largest number of desirable game
fishes (wall-eyed pike, smallmouth black bass, and pickerel)
of any of the lakes. In this respect Green Lake ranks second
with many pickerel and good numbers of smallmouth black
bass. The clear deep lakes are apparently the most desirable
FISHES OF THREE WISCONSIN LAKES 59
from the sportsman's point of view. Lake Geneva has been a
resort for fishermen for many years, yet continues to produce
considerable numbers of game fishes.
For commerical fishing a lake should produce a constant
supply in considerable numbers and for a long period of time.
These conditions can of course be met only in large bodies of
water, and continual fishing should not be carried on in small
lakes.
For the production of large numbers of fishes a lake should
have much food and vegetation. To permit fishes to develop
to large size a lake should offer a variety of habitats — or condi-
tions for living. For the production of game fishes a lake
should possess special features which favor the development of
the species desired and exclude undesirable species. Lake
Geneva, with its beautiful rocky shores, great depth, clear water,
low temperatures in deeper strata, and scanty shore vegetation,
is a poor place for carp but an admirable habitat for game fishes.
Lake Pepin, which is a highway to all the varied habitats along
the Mississippi, and Lake Michigan, with its enormous food re-
sources in deep water, will long continue to serve the commercial
fishermen. The Mississippi is not itself a particularly favorable
habitat for fishes. If the swamps, lakes, and slews, which
furnish the bulk of the food and variety of habitats for its fishes
are destroyed or cut off from it, the fishes must decrease. Lake
Michigan, while it is not inexhaustible, gives its commercial
fishes a more certain tenure, because its food resources are less
likely to be destroyed.
60 UNIVERSITY Of WISCONSIN STUDIES
BIBLIOGRAPHY
BIRGE, E. A., AND JUDAY, C. The Inland Lakes of Wisconsin.
The Dissolved Gases of the Water and Their Biological
Significance. Wisconsin Geological and Natural History
Survey Bulletin No. XXII, xx+259 pp. Madison. 1911.
E VERM ANN, B. W., AND CLARK, H. W. Lake Maxinkuckee,
a Physical and Biological Survey. 2 vols. Indianapolis.
1920.
FORBES, S. A. The Work of the Illinois Biological Station.
Separate, Illinois State Laboratory of Natural History.
1-6 pp. Urbana. 1910.
FORBES, S. A., AND RICHARDSON, R. E. The Fishes of Illi-
nois. Natural History Survey of Illinois, State Laboratory
of Natural History, Vol. Ill, cxxi+357 pp. Danville. 1908.
JORDAN, D. S., AND EVERMANN, B. W. A Review of the
Salmonoid Fishes of the Great Lakes, with Notes on the White-
fishes of other Regions. Bulletin, U. S. Bureau of Fisheries,
Vol. XXIX, pp. 1-41. Washington. 1911.
JUDAY, C. The Inland Lakes of Wisconsin. The Hydrography
and Morphometry of the Lakes. Wisconsin Geological and
Natural History Survey Bulletin No. XXVII, xvi+137 pp.
Madison. 1914.
KENDALL, W. C. The Rangley Lakes, Maine; with Special Refer-
ence to the Habits of the Fishes, Fish Culture and Angling.
Bulletin, U. S. Bureau of Fisheries, Vol. XXV, pp. 485-
594. Washington. 1918.
KOFOID, C. A. The Plankton of the Illinois River, 1894-1899,
with Introductory Notes upon the Hydrography of the Illinois
River and Its Basin. Part I. Quantitative Investigations
and General Results. Bulletin, Illinois State Laboratory of
Natural History, Vol. VI, pp. xviii+ 93-629. Cham-
paign. 1908.
PEARSE, A. S. The Food of the Shore Fishes of Certain Wis-
consin Lakes. Bulletin, U. S. Bureau of Fisheries, Vol.
XXXV, 1915-16, pp. 247-292. Washington. 1918.
FISHES OF THREE WISCONSIN LAKES 61
The Fishes of Lake Valencia, Venezuela. University of Wis-
consin Studies in Science, Vol. I, pp. 1-51. 1920.
The Distribution and Food of the Fishes of Green Lake,
Wisconsin, in Summer. Bulletin, U. S. Bureau of Fisheries.
In press. Washington. 1921.
PEARSE, A. S., AND ACHTENBERG, H. Habits of Yellow Perch
in Wisconsin Lakes. Bulletin, U. S. Bureau of Fisheries,
Vol. XXXVI, 1917-1918, pp. 293-366. Washington. 1920.
REIGHARD, J. An Ecological Reconnaissance of the Fishes of
Douglas Lake, Cheboygan County, Michigan, in Midsummer.
Bulletin, U. S. Bureau of Fisheries, Vol. XXXIII, 1913, pp.
215-249. Washington. 1915.
SHIRA, A. F. Fish Culture Activities of the Fair port Biological
Station. Transactions, American Fisheries Society, Vol.
XL VII, pp. 39-44. Columbus. 1917.
WAGNER, G. Notes on the Fish Fauna of Lake Pepin. Trans-
actions, Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters.
Vol. XVI, pp. 23-37. Madison. 1908.
WARD, H. B. A Biological Examination of Lake Michigan in the
Traverse Bay Region. Bulletin, Michigan Fish Commission,
No. 6, 100 pp. Lansing. 1896.
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