6usi Aeiu %uUUt<j, WatelA, astd ^Jkei^ fyutune PoUi/tiUtie* 



It was not many years ago that the average 

 fisherman was interested only in the western part 

 of the state insofar as the pursuit of his favorite 

 recreation was concerned. In truth much of the 

 eastern portion of our state had little or nothing 

 to offer, and what few streams flowed through 

 these regions were either too warm or muddy for 

 any forms of fish life except a few members of 

 the warm water family, and what few plantings 

 the department carried out were of such species 

 as the sunfish, bream, or catfish and related 

 species. 



It was in the early '30s that we began to hear 

 reports of the splendid work being carried out 

 by the Soil Conservation Service and the Recla- 

 mation Service, and today, as a result of those 

 activities, many hundreds of reservoirs dot the 

 eastern portion of the state. While it is true that 

 many of these are not suitable for fish life, it has 

 also been proved that a great many do and can 

 afford splendid fishing for species of the warm 

 water variety and in some cases even excellent 

 trout fishing. 



There is one body of water recently im- 

 pounded and still forming which gives promise 

 of exceptional angling possibilities, and that is 

 the Fort Peck Reservoir. When completely filled 

 this impounded area will cover 280,000 acres, an 

 area greater than all of the lakes in the state com- 

 bined, including Flathead. Within the main reser- 

 voir a diversity of fishing can be developed rang- 



ing from such species as rainbow, mackinaw and 

 Loch Leven, to crappies and sunfish. 



In order to obtain maximum fishing results 

 from the main reservoir, a careful stocking policy 

 will have to be carried out with the thought in 

 mind that the rough fish population must be held 

 to a minimum. In view of the fact that rough fish 

 species will be constantly migrating into the reser- 

 voir from the stream above, the stocking program 

 should include the introduction of some species of 

 game fish possessing predatory characteristics 

 which will offer sufficient competition and thus 

 prevent the rough fish from becoming too numer- 

 ous. The introduction of Mackinaw trout in con- 

 junction with other species would undoubtedly 

 serve the purpose of maintaining a balance of 

 species. 



The river below the Fort Peck dam promises 

 to develop into excellent trout waters for a dis- 

 tance of 25 or 30 miles. This outlet water from the 

 reservoir is drawn from the bottom of the lake 

 and is clear and maintains consistently low tem- 

 peratures, even during the summer months. There 

 is no doubt that with a proper stocking program, 

 sportsmen of eastern Montana will be able tc 

 enjoy wonderful trout fishing right at home. How- 

 ever, to carry out a stocking program to ade- 

 quately take care of such an enormous area will 

 call for the construction of a hatchery and pond 

 culture station capable of producing both trout 

 and warm water species and dedicated to the 

 waters of Eastern Montana. 



Bainbow trout taken from Fresno Lake near Havre. 

 The largest fish in this group weighed over 5 pounds. 



