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<br />
<br />154
<br />
<br />CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME
<br />
<br />Distn'"butwn' Abundance. Gilbert and Scofield (1898) say that it
<br />was most abundant in the larger river channels in 1890. Evermann
<br />(1916) reports that it was "Said tribe not un~ommon · · ." in the
<br />Salton Sea in 1916, although he saw no speclm@~. Moffett (1942)
<br />reported it from the Colorado River immediately below Boulder Dam
<br />in 1941 but did not discuss its abundance there. At Lake Mead,
<br />Moffett' (1943) says that" Rather large schools of bony tails are sIOen
<br />repeatedly." , ,
<br />Residents report that it was once one .of the, commonest fish,lll t\1l'
<br />Needles-to-Yuma section, but agreed that It was seen only occaslollal!y
<br />now.
<br />
<br />Place in the Fishery, The 'p'r~~~nt-role-of thiS fish in the 10werColora(lo
<br />is unknown to the author. Apparently it can play but a minor Olle
<br />because of its scarcitv. It is said to have been easily caught on hook
<br />and line' some "old timers" claim it was the easiest fish in the river
<br />to catch.' In speaking of-the allied Gila robusta Baird & Girard.
<br />Jordan and Evermann (1896) say that ". · · the flesh [is] fl~ll of
<br />small bones and nearly worthless as food." Ellis (1914), who consl,lel's
<br />Gila elegans to be a synonym of (}1Ut robusta, also says that its buny
<br />body makes its valne as food slight but that large specimens are I.'.:('a-
<br />sionally eaten and are said to have a good flavor.
<br />
<br />Colo~ado River squawfish, Ptycho~heilus IvdJls Girard
<br />
<br />'Local Names. Colorado" salmon"; white" salmon"; "salmon."
<br />
<br />Recognit'ion Characters. Head long and pike-l~e; large terminal
<br />mouth; caudal peduncle not narrowing abruptly ill front of caudal
<br />fin (as in the bony-tail).
<br />
<br />Distribution' Abundance. At one time it was a common fish, but is
<br />now in the ~ection between Yuma and Needles, a decided rarity, No
<br />spec'imens were seen by the survey in 1942. Gilbert and Scdie~d
<br />(1898) said that it was abundant ~n the Gila .and .lower .Colorado I~
<br />1890, Grinnell (1914) reported It as plentiful unmedlately belo~
<br />Laguna Dam in 1910. In recent years Moffett (1942) h.as recorded It
<br />from below Boulder Dam, but has made no comment on Its abundallc~,
<br />Residents report that it is taken only occasionally now.
<br />
<br />Place in the Fishery. More fame has been accorded this fish than any
<br />other native species in the Colorado River drainage. It is known as
<br />the world's largest minnow, and has been reported to attain a lel1~3h
<br />of at least 5 feet and a weight of almost 100 pounds. (Ellis, 1914, p~ 1'):}
<br />Little is known as to its habits or life history. Other members ot lhl~
<br />genus (P. oregonensis, P. grandis) are considered as predators 0
<br />salmonoids, Very possibly the Colorado Riv€r squawfish is also pr~dal-
<br />ceous on other fishes of the river, but its scarcity makes it of htt e
<br />importance in this regard now. .
<br />The name "salmon" is used almost exclusively for it by reSIdents,
<br />Some 01. them firmly believe that it is a true salmon and have even
<br />suggested that fish-ways should be constructed to allow it to pass over
<br />the dams. Some residents have claimed that there was an upstream
<br />migration in the spring which was especially noticeable at Lagullil Dalll'
<br />
<br />
<br />THE FISHERY OF TBELOWER- COLORADOuRIVERU' '-"---'''::'i55:''=--:'::C;''::
<br />
<br />~~;th.e Indians used to capture them with pitchforks and other.
<br />--:": I~:was ~e most highly prized of the native fishes, and is reported
<br />qUIt.e edIble. - ,'- " ,
<br />.dwith other members of this genus, the Colorado River squaw'-
<br />, ,nbe taken on bait or with artificial lures.
<br />
<br />. Ameiuridae. Catfuhes and Bullheads
<br />
<br />;These are the only scaleless fish in the river which possess an adi-
<br />Forsal fin. They have barbels on the chin, The dorsal and
<br />'ralfins each possess a stout spine.
<br />
<br />.',' "",chllnne. catfish, In./"",1 lontstrisp_rlatuf (Rafinesque) ----:--~ -"
<br />
<br />C 1fames. Channel catfish (or cat); spotted cat; blue cat; catfish. .
<br />
<br />ifF>n Characters. The deeply forked tail will readily distin-
<br />~_ c:hannel catfish from any of the others known from the river.
<br />,et head, and the presence of spots are other diagnostic characters.
<br />: ~o11!d beno~ed that fishermen report several kinds of forked-
<br />.,JfislJ.es fropl the river and have a variety of names for them. It
<br />-.-:ejal1y COl;nmon to find residents speaking of "blue cats" and
<br />7~~ts" as entirely different species. The author has been
<br />i91ind any specific distinction between these two fish, and refers
<br />,,~forked-tailed catfishes seen on the lower Colorado to lctaluru.s
<br />:',3VIJ;nctatus. The "blue cats" which were examined were all
<br />'Jcimens, possessed few if any spots, and had broader heads than
<br />c.al channel catfish. Otherwise, they appeared to agree in all
<br />ars (such as fin ray counts) with the latter, and it is believed
<br />.a:re merely old individuals of this species. Wickliff and Traut-
<br />,,35) 88:Y tha.t channel cats may lose their spots after reaching
<br />unds ill "\\:elght. and that these are called "Blue Cats" by the
<br />-fisherman III OhIO. See also the discussion in Smith and Swingle
<br />p.176-177).
<br />
<br />urian i Abundance i Hab'itat, This is an introduced fish which has
<br />'~Qmmon in the river only within the last few years, There are
<br />re theories as to its origin in the Colorado than for that of the
<br />6uth bass. '
<br />fis now abundant throughout the lower river and tolerates a
<br />'range of environmental differences. Not only is it found in the
<br />):.()ld water below Boulder Dam (Moffett. 1942) and in Lake Havasu
<br />i(common in the turbid canals of the Imperial Valley. It is eve~
<br />9CCasionally in the Salton Sea. The larger individuals are taken
<br />.mmonly in or near rather swift water. The areas below dams
<br />~a) or along the channel edges offer good fishing spots, and
<br />nenced fisherman pays careful attention to his selection of a
<br />~: fi.sl:l'u H~~e_ve~'neven dead water may provide large catches
<br />;e anneT catfiSIi-----n-------nm--~u--u----u,
<br />~. species far ou'tnumbers the bullheads (Ameiurus) of the river
<br />'the,muddy areas where the literature might lead one to believe
<br />,,_~lUld be uncommon. Most accounts speak of its preference for
<br />. t waters; while the transplanted stock may still retain this
<br />
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