Mousam Lake

The 1953 biological survey indicated that restoration of salmon in Mousam Lake might be possible if certain recommendations were followed. All recommendations from that survey were carried out except the construction of an expensive fishway in the outlet dam. However, the salmon catch has been limited to a few fish a year in spite of a stocking program which has allotted more than 50,000 salmon to Mousam Lake. Competition from brown trout and warmwater fish, failure to esta'blish a spawning run of salmon in Pumpbox Brook, and lack of access to the outlet stream for spawning are blamed for poor salmon fishing. Mousam Lake was managed for brown trout prior to this attempt to restore salmon, and although brown trout have not been stocked there for more than 10 years, it is estimated that as many trout as salmon are now taken by anglers. GilInetting for the past 10 years has taken more brown trout than salmon. It seems wisest, therefore, to return to brown trout management for Mousam Lake Brown trout stocking was started again in 1964 and the program has been successful in producing a good trout fishery. By 1969, severel 2 to 4-pound browns were caught and fishing was considered very good for trout between 12 inches and 16 inches long. All sizes and bag limits on warmwater fish in Mousam Lake should continue to be the regulation.