PROPAGATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD FISHES, 1926 351 



Duluth (Minn.) Station 

 [S. P. Wires, Superintendent] 



Early in the fall the usual arrangements were made for the collection of 

 lake trout and whitefish spawn in the Michigan waters of Lake Superior. 

 The collection of lake-trout eggs commenced September 30 at various points 

 on Isle Royale and Copper Harbor and continued until the beginning of the 

 State closed season, which extended from October 9 to October 10. The work 

 was resumed on the 17th and was prosecuted successfully during the succeed- 

 ing three days, the catch of trout along the south shore of Lake Superior 

 between Ontonagon and Grand Marais being very heavy at this time. During 

 October 19, however, heavy winds and generally unfavorable weather set in 

 and continued almost without interruption up to the close of the spawning 

 period on November 15. The season's collection as a whole were very litrbt 

 From the total of 15,757,000 lake-trout eggs secured 10,262,000 eyed eggs, 

 fry, and fingerling fish were developed and supplied to applicants or planted 

 in suitable public waters. The only whitefish eggs handled were 2,320.000 that 

 were secured by commercial fishermen operating at Isle Royale and Munising, 

 Mich., in connection with the collection of lake-trout spawn. This stock 

 yielded 1,400.000 fry. all of which were returned to spawning grounds in Lake 

 Michigan waters. 



Additional funds enabled this station to cooperate with the Minnesota fish- 

 eries authorities in the propagation of pike perch at the Bemidji (Minn.) 

 State hatchery. During the spawning season — extending from April 16 to May 

 4 — 570 quarts of eggs were collected. These were cared for in the Bemidji 

 hatchery until far enough advanced to bear transportation, when they were 

 divided in proportion to the amount expended by each party. The bureau's 

 share, amounting to 16,380,000 eggs, was transferred to the Duluth hatchery, 

 and after the completion of incubation the fry were distributed to applicants. 

 The losses on the eggs and fry during the period they were held were very 

 light. The funds expended by the bureau for this work were applied to 

 operating expenses only, as the State furnished all nets, boats, and other equip- 

 ment and made no charge for the necessary water, fuel, or light. 



The year's work at this station included the handling of 200.000 eyed brook- 

 trout eggs received during the winter from a commercial dealer in Pennsyl- 

 vania. From this stock 129,000 fry were hatched and reared to the No. 1 

 fingerling stage, at which time they were distributed to applicants. 



NORTHVILLE (MlCH.) STATION AND SUBSTATIONS 

 [W. W. Thayer, Superintendent] 



The fishes propagated at the Northville station during the year included the 

 brook trout and rainbow trout, smallmouth black bass, and bream (Lepomis 

 pallidus). During the month of January 1,157.000 eyed brook-trout eggs, most 

 of them of fair quality, were received from various sources, some by purchase 

 from commercial firms and the remainder through exchange. The eggs were 

 incubated with only a small loss, but there was a heavy mortality among the 

 resulting fry in May. due to sudden and extreme temperature changes. A 

 large proportion of the young fish hatched from this stock was distributed to 

 applicants in Ohio and Indiana, while comparatively small numbers were for- 

 warded to the cooperative rearing projects at Turtle Lake and Rose City, 

 Mich. A consignment of 150,000 rainbow-trout eggs, received during the spring 

 from the State hatchery at Paris, Mich., was incubated, and the resulting fry 

 were distributed with only a slight loss. N 



The stock of smallmouth-bass fry on hand at the opening of the fiscal vear 

 yielded more than 12.000 fingerling fish for later distribution. Of 285 adult 

 bass of this species placed in their winter holding quarters late in the fall of 

 1925 only 79 were found when the pond was drained in the spring. There 

 being no other apparent reason for this loss, it could only be concluded that 

 the fish were stolen. At once 209 additional brood bass were obtained from 

 Lake Erie waters and apportioned in the breeding ponds with the survivors 

 of the original stock. Excellent weather and water conditions prevailed 

 throughout the spawning season, and at the end of June the indications were 

 that the yield of fry would be approximately twice that of the preceding vear. 

 Only a small brood stock of bream is held at this station, hence the output of 

 that fish is never large. 



