TWENTY-EIGHTH BIENNIAL REPORT. 45 



larly the smaller ones, are residual glacial basins; and such should be 

 stocked with a certain number of fry each season so that the people who 

 are fishing these lakes will not have to depend on natural propagation, 

 which is not feasible in some lakes as there are no tributary streams in 

 which the fish may spawTi, or springs welling up through the gravel near 

 the shores in water not too deep for the fish to spawn. *To determine 

 the different species of trout best adapted to each individual lake, a 

 biological survey should be made by some person specially trained for 

 this kind of work. 



The introduction of fish in these lakes without any scientific checking 

 up of the pliysical conditions to determine the species best adapted to 

 each lake would, in many instances, be a waste of time and money. 

 After a survey of the physical conditions of these lakes is made, proper 

 aquatic plants and insects should be introduced to improve the food 

 supply for whatever species of trout is best adapted to each lake or 

 stream wliere natural food is found to be lacking. The planting of trout 

 fry in barren waters should be done under a system based upon a scien- 

 tific survey of conditions necessary to get the best results when the fry 

 are introduced. The planting of adnlt fish in small numbers in these 

 lakes is not the best method of introducing fishes into barren waters. As 

 said before, a great many of these lakes do not have proper spawning- 

 grounds for the species to be introduced, and, where such conditions 

 exist, fry should be planted in sufficient numbers to insure fishing 

 within a short period of time after the fish are introduced. Whenever, 

 upon examination, it is found that the lakes do not contain proper 

 spawning grounds, a certain number of fry should be introduced 

 annually, or at least every couple of years, to maintain the supply in 

 these lakes, depending on the number of anglers who visit these lakes 

 each season. 



An experienced fish planter, with a well equipped pack train, should 

 have charge of the planting of fishes in these lakes after the biological 

 survey is made. This would not entail a very great expense and many 

 hundreds of now^ barren lakes could be made to furnish good fishing to 

 those who care to enter the high Sierra range for their summer outings, 

 as the rivers and lakes in the lower altitudes are being fished so exces- 

 sively by the ever increasing population of this state, and, with the 

 advent of the automobile, it becomes necessary to stock these barren 

 lakes to meet the demand made upon our waters by the angling public. 

 Therefore, we recommend that this work be taken up and continued 

 until all of the accessible lakes and streams are stocked. This work 

 should be done under the auspices of the Fish and Game Commission 

 and carried on systematically until all of the barren lakes and streams 

 are stocked with species of trout adapted to the conditions best suited 

 for their development. Some of these lakes may allow the successful 

 introduction of the Montana grayling. "When this survey is completed, 

 recommendations will be made to the board regarding the species that 

 will thrive best in each lake or stream. 



