Trolling-, a popular sport 

 Flathead Lake. 



■ 



mm 



species is gradually diminishing over much of 

 the State, and has been superseded in many 

 drainages by the rainbow and Loch Leven. 



Approximately 40 million fish have been 

 planted annually in the State of Montana, of 

 which rainbow, cutthroat, and Loch Leven have 

 amounted to approximately 10 million each. East- 

 ern brook, grayling, and the species of lesser 

 importance make up the remainder. It is thought 

 that by cutting this total figure to about 30 mil- 

 lion, approximately 25 per cent of the larger sizes 

 can be produced. 



The final computation of the figures of this 

 planting program also bring out some interesting 

 data in regard to Montana's streams and lakes. 

 It was found that there are 5,502 streams and 

 rivers of all classes, totaling 34,903 miles. Of this 



total it was found that 15,879 miles were con- 

 sidered fit for stocking and 19,024 miles were 

 found to be unfit for stocking, due to various fac- 

 tors such as drought, pollution, irigation, etc. It 

 was also found that Montana has a total of 1,589 

 lakes, totaling 274,500 acres and of this number 

 207,833 acres were considered fit for stocking and 

 66,667 acres were classified as unfit for stock- 

 ing or needing further investigation. Most of the 

 lakes in this category were those situated at high 

 altitudes and considered inaccessible or adequate- 

 ly stocked for the available food supply. 



It is the belief of all the interested agencies 

 that through this positive management, coopera- 

 tion, and correlation of effort — the fisheries' re- 

 source in the State of Montana should be greatly 

 benefited. 



<7/ie liUeUack ScUmo+i 0/ QlxdkeaJl Jiake 



(Oncorhynchus nerka) 



The Blueback or Sockeye Salmon is found 

 from the coast of southern Oregon, north to north- 

 ern Alaska, Kamchatka and Japan. The prin- 

 cipal rivers in the United States which it fre- 

 quents are the Columbia, Quinialt and Skagit, 

 in each of which very heavy runs occur. In the 

 Columbia River this salmon is called the Blue- 

 back. In the Frazer it is called the Sockeye, and 

 in Alaska it is known as the Red Salmon or 

 Redfish. This species has established itself in 

 various fresh water lakes where it is physio- 



logically landlocked, and appears as localized 

 dwarfed forms sometimes known as the Little Red 

 Fish or Kennerley's Salmon. Among lakes which 

 they are known to inhabit are Altures, Petit, 

 Redfish and Big Payette in Idaho; Wallawa in 

 Oregon; Sammamish, Ozette, American and Che- 

 lan in Washington, and many small lakes in 

 British Columbia and Alaska, including the Koo- 

 tenai and Okanagon lakes. 



The Blueback or Sockeye is the most 

 ant salmon on the west coast, and by 

 most valuable species in Alaska. However, so 



[30] 



