Heart Lake immediately downstream from Island Lake yielded 

 only one 4-year-old trout. No other fish were observed from 

 shore or while snorkeling. Based on the excellent condition of 

 this one fish, its size at Age IV and the high level of available 

 food, it appeared Heart Lake was at an extreme low-density level. 



Crescent Lake produced an overnight catch of 11 golden 

 trout, all very small fish. Others were observed jumping and 

 swimming shoal areas. No sexually mature females were captured. 



Sawtooth Lake in the Pioneer Mountain Range produced a well- 

 balanced structure of numerous^ well-composed fish. Reproduction 

 was evident with juveniles aggregated around redd sites in the 

 inlet. Wipperman witnessed a similar structure in 1964. 



Fourmile Basin Lake #4 appeared to have few fish. Two fish 

 were observed and two fish were captured. Both fish were Age IV 

 and averaged 1 pound. Gillnetting in 1962 produced 21 golden 

 trout between 7.3 and 8.6 inches (Marcoux 1973). All fish were 

 Age II from a 1960 plant. In 1981 fingerlings were observed in 

 the outlet. However, the exit of this stream at the lake created 

 a barrier to juvenile recruitment back to the lake. Many juve- 

 niles were trapped in small isolated pools. 



Little Lightning Lake always produced numerous small 2 and 

 3-year-old fish (Harcuson 1980). The largest fish captured in 

 Little Lightning Lake was a 16.3-inch, 1.56-pound female. 



Eleven fish netted in Hidden Lake #2 were of three size 

 groups (8.5, 10.8 and 14.6 inches), indicating at least partial 

 reproductive success. This shallow lake was sparsely populated 

 with golden trout. One fish was observed in the shallow inlet 

 stream 150 feet upstream from the lake's confluence. Fish were 

 full of Gammarus lactustris and were in good physical condition. 



Numerous small golden trout were observed and captured by 

 hook and line in the shallow, pond-like environments of Hidden 

 lakes #5, 6 and 7. Gaffney (pers. comm.) reported observing 

 numerous, small golden trout in these lakes in 1958. The 1981 

 experimental net set in Hidden Lake #5 captured seven golden 

 trout, averaging 7.8 inches and 0.17 pounds. These brightly 

 colored fish spawn in the small stream between Hidden lakes #5, 6 

 and 7; access between lakes was unobstructed. These fish 

 appeared totally different in coloration from those fish in 

 Hidden Lake #2 upstream. The outflow of Hidden Lake #2 had 350 

 feet of gradient with falls and appeared suicidal to fish moving 

 downstream. The physical features of the Hidden lakes make for 

 three separate ecological entities: lakes #1 and 2; lakes #5, 6 

 and 7 and lakes #3, 4 and 8. The latter group had occasional 

 golden trout; none were observed in 1981. They were last stocked 

 in 1959 with 6-inch fish. 



Golden trout were prevalent in Golden Trout Lake in the 

 Gallatin drainage. Numerous small fish were observed. Camping 

 sites and shoreline abuse suggested heavy fishing pressure. Eggs 



- 13 - 



