Continued from page one

A preliminary fish and steam survey has been conducted within Crater Lake National Park during this summer in an effort to gain a basis for scientific fish management of the streams within the area. From this work some interesting and enlightening information has been gleaned.

From the slops of Mount Mazama arise nearly a score of major streams and creeks. On the west the creeks drain into the Rogue watershed. Largest of these westward flowing streams are: The Rogue River, itself, which arises from Boundary Springs in the northern portion of the park: National, Crater, Copeland, Bybee, Castle, and Redblanket Creeks. The Klamath watershed eventually claims the waters flowing from the eastern slopes of the Cascade summit. Annie, Sun, and Sand Creeks and their tributaries form the largest streams of this drainage arising within the Park. Minor streams are Bear and Lost Creeks.

Most of the creeks arise from large, clear springs, the waters of which maintain a constant temperature of 36 to 38° F. From the springs, the streams run rapidly through deeply cut canyons carved out of the soft volcanic materials, and cascade over numerous lava flows in a series of falls. In some of these creeks the rapids are interspersed with numerous pools while in others the riffle area is nearly continuous throughout the course of the creek. The desirable ratio of riffles to pools, which is 50:50 or better, is lacking in most of the streams. Aquatic vegetation of moss and algae is common in most of the waters.

Aquatic insect life, the mainstay for food of the trout, is generally common although not in the great abundance which could be desired for an optimum condition. Bottom samples taken in each of the streams to determine the quantity and composition of the available food matter revealed that mayfly, stonefly, and caddis fly larvae, helegramites, round worms, and flat worms constitute most of this aquatic life.

The streams, for the most part, are well shaded with conifers, alders, or willow bushes. Submerged logs, large boulders, and overhanging banks furnish much shelter for the fish. The unstable bottoms, consisting as they do in some streams of pumice and cinders, is generally regarded as detrimental to fish life, especially to the eggs and fry.

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Natural reproduction, a highly desirable factor in fish management, is generally lacking; but in Copeland, Bybee, Trapper, Munson, and Lost Creeks, the observation of fry and fingerlings indicate that some natural reproduction is taking place. In Copeland, Bybee, Trapper, and Lost Creeks, this is sufficient to produce enough to replenish the trout under only nominal fishing pressure. In all other streams, if fishing is to be maintained, a limited amount of planting varying according to the qualities of food and other factors of each stream is necessary.

Since 1931, 743,949 fingerlings (275,564 rainbow and 467,385) eastern brook trout) have been planted in the streams. The last plantings were made in 1940 when 66,350 eastern brook and 30,914 rainbow fingerlings were stocked. Fish planting is an expensive operation. The abundance of fish in a stream at present is not in direct proportion to the numbers planted in that creek. Into Annie Creek, one of the most accessible, were dumped 20,758 eastern brook fingerlings, 31% of all eastern brook planted in 1940, and yet this stream still maintains the reputation of being one of the poorest fishing streams within the area.

Four species of trout were collected; these were, in order of greatest numbers: eastern brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis (Mitchell), Dolly Varden, Salvelinus malma spectabilis,rainbow trout Salmo gairdnerii gairdnerii (Richardson), and German Brown or Loch Leven trout, Salmo trutta Linnaeus. It is interesting to find a large Loch Leven in Sand Creek, Dolly Vardens and rainbows in Sun Creek, for in these streams only eastern brook have been planted according to park records. Fifteen hundred rainbows were planted in Munson Creek in 1937; only one rainbow has been reported caught from this stream in the past two seasons. More rainbow than eastern brook trout have been planted in the streams of the Rogue drainage, but only three rainbows were collected. It would seem from this that the eastern brook trout is better adapted to the cold, clear, high-montane streams than the rainbow. The temperatures of these waters vary from 38 to 49 degrees F.

Of the 179 trout collected, forty-three whole fish, 145 stomachs and 179 scales were preserved for future study during the winter to determine parasites, food habits, age groups, and condition-factors of these trout from the streams of Crater Lake National Park.

The table (below) tabulates some of the pertinent information about the trout collected during the summer.

Information about some trout collected from the streams of Crater Lake National Park during the summer of 1947. Assisting the writer with the collecting were the following persons: Seasonal Ranger John Myers, Ranger-Naturalists W. S. Vincent and Tom Matthews.

Species	No. of Fish	Sex			Average			Largest			Smallest
		Male	Female	Undet.*	Wgt.	SL	SL	Wgt.	SL	TL	Wgt.	SL	TL
Eastern Brook	128	60	41	27	74.35	16.23	18.21	—	25.4	27.3	12.37	9.4	10.7
Dolly Varden	15	5	4	6	61.67	16.02	17.78	143.44	20.0	22.2	20.96	11.7	12.9
Rainbow	10	5	2	3	99.87	18.14	20.15	281.73	26.4	28.9	32.88	12.1	13.6
German Brown	1	1	0	0	————–			218.09	25.5	28.7	————–

 

*Undet.	–	Sex undetermined at present as specimens are being preserved whole for further investigation
Wgt.	–	Weight in grams
SL	–	Standard Length measured in centimeters from the tip of the snout to the point where the caudal rays articulate with the vertebra.
TL	–	Total length in centimeters measured from the tip of the snout to the fork in the caudal fin.

The white cement disk has been replaced in 25 feet of water in the lake below the Sinnott Memorial to aid the visitors to appreciate and grasp the extreme clarity and deep blue color of the water. One of the binoculars at Sinnott Memorial is trained upon the 24 inch object. Paul Herron, boatman for the Park Company, lifted the disc from its old location, repainted it, and then reinstalled it. Metal legs were attached to one edge so that the disc tilts toward the observation center.

Located in the blocky lava on the west side of Wizard Island are situated three pools caused by the unequal flow of volcanic material. Their bottoms are below the surface of Crater Lake so that they are kept filled to the lake level by infiltration. During earlier times when the level of the lake was higher two of the pools were mere inlets.

The temperature of the pools varies 5 to 6 degrees F. warmer than that of the lake water. Green algae and diatoms cover the pool bottoms, and tend to give them a blue-green color when viewed from the Watchman.

The smaller of the pools is Cleetwood Pool, in which lies the remains of the Cleetwood, the boat used for the initial soundings of the lake in 1896. According to Ranger-Naturalist Wayne E. Kartchner in an unpublished report, there were two small rainbow trout located in this pool in 1936. They were again observed in 1937; only one was seen in 1938, and none in 1939. On August 2, 1939, six more fingerlings were planted. Observations this year revealed several fish were still to be found in this pool. They varied from eight to eleven inches.

Emerald Pool, the largest of the small lakes, contains so much aquatic vegetation that it has a definite emerald color, this pool is 150 feet long, 15 feet deep, and 35 feet wide. On visits August 17 and 23, many mayflies, stoneflies, water striders, salamanders, and tadpoles were observed; giving evidence of an abundance of fish food. Three large rainbows, one “as large as one’s arm” were seen. Twelve trout were placed in this pool in 1939. At least three of them were taken by anglers in 1946.

The third pool, Rocky Pool, is located on the east side of a high ridge of blocky lava behind Emerald Pool. It is separated from the lake by higher lava barriers than the other pools, and is about 60 feet across. From the 1939 planting, it received six fish but on visits this year no trout were observed.

Two specimens were collected from Cleetwood Pool on August 11 by Ranger-Naturalist Water S. Vincent. Both were male rainbows. The stomach contents of these fish revealed that this pool contains a scarcity of fish food for conifer needles and vegetative matter, mainly diatoms, which have little nutritional value, made up the bulk of the contents.

Measurement of these fish and stomach contents are:

Specimen No. 470811-1 WI, rainbow, male, standard length: 21.3cm, total length: 24.1cm, weight: 158.3 grams. Stomach contents: 28 insect larvae, 12 shrimp, 750 Daphnia (water flies which are almost microscopic), 1 fragment of crayfish, and 50% vegetative matter (diatoms).

Specimen No. 470811-2 WI, rainbow, male, standard length: 20.2cm, total length: 22.9cm, weight: 126 grams. Stomach contents: 6 insect larvae, 1 terrestrial insect, 22 conifer needles (made up bulk of contents), 275 Daphnia, 10 shrimps, and 25% vegetative material.

This investigation shows that conditions within these pools are suitable for survival of trout.

To the angler, the fishing in Crater Lake this season proved to be disappointing for a total of only 23 fish taken by boat fishermen during July and August. This total constitutes the lowest catch reported since the creel census began in 1937. To the investigator, the results provided interesting and instructive information about the fish condition in the lake. Fishing boats have been available daily from 7:30 A.M. until 5:30 P.M., from July 15 through September 1. Few people availed themselves of the full day. Most of the fishing was confined to the area around Wizard Island and Skell Channel; few venturing far from this locale.

Information in this report is gleaned from data of boat fishing and a limited amount of shore fishing. Boat operator Paul Herron and his two assistants, Tommy Price and Dick McConkey, gave material help in gathering necessary data.

1. The catch in 1947. Of the 23 fish caught from boats, 14 were silver side salmon and 9 were rainbow trout. This amounts to .21 fish per boat hour, as compared with .11 for 1946. (See Nature Notes, 1946). The silverside averaged 12 inches in length and 8.6 ounces in weight; the rainbows 17.5 inches and 2 pounds 4 ounces respectively. Boats were used for fishing a total of 110.5 hours, only 6.8% of the use made in 1946.

2. Natural Reproduction. Although persistent observations were made during the summer, no sign of fry or fingerlings were seen. Mr. Herron in his 80 trips around the lake never saw any small fish. On July 13, two fishermen from Klamath Falls reported that there were some “six inch rainbows off the Wineglass shore.” The size of the silversides would indicate that they had been spawned in the lake.

3. Shore Fishing. As in past seasons, shore fishing is attempted by considerable numbers of improperly equipped with a general lack of success. Three rainbows, 9, 14, and 15 inches, were taken from the south shore at the boat landing and at the Wineglass; no other catches were reported.

4. Food. Only nine stomach samples were obtained throughout the summer; midge larvae, and midge pupae made up the bulk of the silverside stomach contents examined, while three of the rainbow stomachs contained whole salamanders.

5. Age and Growth Determination. Ten scale samples were taken and will be studied during the winter to determine the age groups and growth record.

6. Remarks. Although there is definite evidence that there is some natural reproduction taking place among the silversides, the size of this season’s catch would seem to indicate that this natural reproduction is not sufficient to provide satisfactory sport for the visitor. Only by supplementing this reproduction by stocking can fishing be brought back to its former reputation. Stocking the lake is expensive and difficult with relatively small return for the effort of the fisherman.

 

The 1947 Boat Fishing Record for Crater Lake

Fish taken:	July	August	1947
Silverside salmon	7	7	14
Rainbow trout	3	6	9
Total	10	13	23
No. of boat reports:	10	11	21
No. of anglers	20	23	43
Total boat fishing hours	51.5	59	110.5
No. of fish per boat per hour	.19	.22	.21
No. of fish per hour per angler	.10	.12	.11

Comparison with 1946 season: only 6.5% as many fishermen took 13.4% as many fish as taken in 1946 with the result that nearly two times as many fish were taken per boat hour this year.

During the summer season an attempt has been made to prepare a check list of recorded amphibians and reptiles from the park. This attempt has been only partially successful, due to lack of adequate time and facilities to make a thorough search of some of the less frequented areas of the park, particularly those areas of the north and east sections of the park. An adequate search in these areas should reveal some of the hitherto unrecorded desert forms.

The list is a revision of the section included in “An Annotated List of the Vertebrates” by Barry Campbell in the Naturalist Manual for Crater Lake National Park (1934). This list seems to be the only one available, and since its completion considerable changes in nomenclature have been made. Furthermore, some of the varieties and species given are no longer valid, so an attempt has been made particularly to clarify and complete some of the more obscure points.

AMPHIBIANS

Salamanders

1. Triturus granulosus mazamae (Rathke) Twitty. Carter Lake Newt.

This form was listed as T. torosus by Campbell. In more recent work, on forms found on the Pacific Coast, Twitty included all in the species granulosus, and described the form found in the lake as the subspecies mazamae. This subspecies is highly pigmented, and reaches a maximum length of about eight inches. During the summer several adults and larvae in various stages of development were found in Emerald Pool on Wizard Island. No others were observed except four adults found in the stomachs of three rainbow trout caught in the lake proper.

Description: Adult, 5-8″; back quite roughly pebbled, rich chocolate brown, belly reddish-orange; juvenile (just transformed), 2-1/2-4″,

color as adult.

2. Ambystoma macrodatylm (Baird). Long-toed Salamander.

Common along the lake shore and in certain pools in Munson valley. Larvae from 1″ to 4″, collected in Munson valley. Larvae kept in Laboratory transformed into adults which were about 4″ in length. No evidence of reproduction of this form observed in other parts of the park.

Description: Adult, 3-1/2-5″; back smooth with yellowish mottlings on dark green, sides with 11 costal grooves.

Frogs

1. Rana cascadii (Baird and Girard). Cascade Frog.

This is one of the most common animals of the park; it is found in abundance along all streams and water courses of the region. This form is reported by Campbell as being R. pretiosa, but Dr. Kenneth Gordon, in personal communication, places it in the above classification.

Description: Adult, 3-4-1/2″ body and head length; hind legs longer than body-head length; ground color pale to dark green with numerous black spots on back; underside yellow to pinkish on legs. Larvae, very darkly pigmented, extremely numerous in spring fed pools.

2. Rana boylii boylii (Baird). California Yellow-legged Frog.

This form was first recorded from the park during the present season (see page 22) when one specimen was collected in Red Blanket Creek at the extreme southern border of the park. Further search should reveal this form in all canyons of the Rogue River drainage and possibly in Annie Creek.

Description: See page 22.

3. Hyla regilla (Baird and Girard). Pacific Tree Frog.

This form seems to be fairly common in the park. It has been heard in the Headquarters area, Boundary Springs, Red Cone, and on Wizard Island during the present season.

This frog has a voice all out of proportion to his size and is often heard in chorus in the spring breeding season. An interesting feature is the adhesive disc which is present on the tip of each of the toes, enabling the frog to cling to a vertical glass plate.

Description: Adult, small (2″ or less), color variable with the habitat, usually tan to gray-green with dark mottlings.

Toads

1. Ascaphis truii Steuneger. Bell’s Toad.

This form was reported by Campbell as being common in the Bybee Creek area, but none have been collected during the present season. This toad is the only North American representative of an Asiatic species. It resembles the genus Rana but has several modifying features.

Description: Adults, 2-3″ head body length, body greenish with darker mottlings, male with tail-like protuberance which is actually a modified cloaca. Larvae characterized by an enlarged upper jaw and minute lower jaw that acts as a sucker to assist in clinging to rocks in fast mountain streams.

2. Bufo boreas boreas (Baird and Girard). Northwestern Toad.

A quite common large toad in all areas of the park. Has been found in such unusual places as the crater of Wizard Island and atop Munson Ridge.

Description: 4-5″ head body length, back gray to greenish with large warts and darker mottlings.

REPTILES

Snakes

1. Thamnophis sirtalis ssp. (Blainville). Garter Snake.

This is the only snake as yet observed within the park and is quite rare. Seven specimens have been reported during the present season from two localities, the lake shore and the beaver dam area of Copeland Creek. One specimen collected by Ranger S. Sprecker on the lake shore was unusual due to its lack of coloration. The stripes of dark gray were only faintly visible on the basic black coloration. This specimen was about 10″ in length. One of those collected in the Copeland Creek area was about 36″. This form was reported by Campbell as T. s. infernalis, the Pacific garter snake, but as the status of this particular subspecies is somewhat uncertain, no attempt has been made to allocated the form observed to a particular subdivision.

Lizards

1. Gerrhonotus coeruleus principus (Baird and Girard)
Gerrhonotus principa (Baird and Girard). Northern Alligator Lizard.

This rather large lizard is quite common on the talus slope just west of Headquarters and is quite probably the same form which has been observed on the lake shore. This is a rather retiring form, and because of its shy habits is probably more widely distributed than was formerly supposed.

Description: 7-9″, back brownish with black markings; quite long fragile tail and large gaping jaws.

2. Gerrhonotus coeruleus shastensis (Fitch). Shasta Alligator Lizard.

A single specimen observed in the field on upper Bybee Creek was tentatively identified as this form. Further collection is desirable.

Description: Similar to above but larger, 10″ and longer; body brown with dark markings with lighter colored head.

3. Phrynosoma douglassi douglassii (Bell). Pigmy Horned Toad.

Reported by Campbell as being collected on the Wineglass motorway. This form is probably fairly common in the desert-like eastern sections of the park.

Description: 2-3″, back with spiny scales; short horns behind the eyes; two rows of blackish dots down back bordered with yellow or white; underside white.

The above list of reptiles is undoubtedly far from complete. A list of a few of the forms which might be expected to be found within the park boundaries is given below:

Scelopores occidentalis	Blue-bellied lizard
Scelopores fraciosus	Mountain swift
Eumeses skiltonianus	Blue-tailed skink
Coluber constrictor	Yellow-bellied racer
Pituophis catenifer	Gopher snake
Lampropeltis sp.	King snakes
Crotalus viridus oreganus	Pacific rattlesnake