REPORT OF MONTANA FISH AND GAME COMMISSION 19 



overflow at the lower end to maintain the water at a certain depth 

 at all times during the time the fish are being held in the pond. Such 

 ponds are usually created by using an old creek bed through which the 

 water does not flow except during flood stages providing head gates, 

 dam and overflow at the lower end, water from the stream being fed 

 into the pond, and prior to the time the fish are placed there, fresh 

 water shrimp are planted to furnish food for the fish after they have 

 been placed into the pond. 



At Ovando the topography of the country was such that where the 

 ponds have been constructed all that was necessary was to build a 

 small dam at the expense of a few dollars and a large area would be 

 made into a pond. The ground being a hay meadow, as soon as it 

 was flooded with water, food began to appear in a short time and 

 with the addition of a few plantings of fresh water shrimp^ Jyi^^bfteri^ 

 able to support large numbers of fish. O^/rlot) 



Such ponds as those at Ovando are the exception rather than the 

 rule, and it is very doubtful whether other places can be found where 

 ponds can be created with as little expense, as large a water area and 

 with abundant food. 



The Ovando ponds are teeming with fresh water shrimp and large 

 numbers of fry have been reared to the fingerling stage, in fact, held 

 for a year and then liberated. 



There is no expense attached to maintaining ponds such as these. 

 nor is it necessary to have an attendant in charge, the only cost for 

 operating such ponds, excepting the construction of the overflow dams, 

 is hauling the fish to them and hauling them away the next season. 



Other ponds of this type have been constructed in other parts of 

 Montana and reports are to the effect that they are a success. 



Ponds of the type of those at the Fisheries Station at Emigrant, and 

 in Greenough Park, Missoula, are what are termed artificial rearing 

 ponds. At both these places the ponds had at one time been an old 

 channel of the creek. The ponds at Missoula are much larger than 

 those at Emigrant and also have an unlimited water supply, while the 

 ponds at Emigrant have a decidedly limited supply of water. At both 

 these ponds the fish are fed several times daily and the growth they 

 attain is wonderful. When fish are held in this type of pond for six 

 or eight weeks, the chances of their attaining the adult stage after 

 being planted are enhanced. 



The ponds at Missoula, and all work in connection therewith, is 

 under the supervision of the Western Montana Sportsmen's Association, 

 and this club is entitled to great credit for the remarkable work they 

 are doing. All the Pish and Game Department have to do from now on 

 is simply supply the number of fish necessary for properly restocking 

 and keeping stocked the streams and lakes in that portion of Montana, 

 the fish to be supplied when they are able to swim and have been 

 fed for a few days, the Missoula club will then place them into the 

 rearing ponds, feed them and when ready to liberate will haul the fish 

 to the waters which are to be stocked, and do the liberating in a 

 thorough and methodical manner. Sportsmen desirous of doing a 

 similar work should visit the Missoula ponds and see what all is being 

 accomplished there. 



The ponds at Emigrant are an auxiliary to the Emigrant Hatchery 

 and are maintained by the Department. 



RESCUE OF BASS AND SINFISH IN FLATHEAD COUNTY 



This season extensive work was done rescuing young bass and sun- 

 fish from the sloughs along the Flathead river. During the spring 

 when the river is high, the parent fish of both species resort to the 

 still eddies or channels along the banks of the Flathead river, where 

 due to the water being quiet and still the temperature is considerably 



