(lau^U tyiAJ* GohAoI 



It has often been stated that man has been 

 responsible for more harm to fish and game 

 through conscientious endeavor than the man 

 with malicious intent, and this certainly holds 

 true in regard to many of our beautiful lakes in 

 this state. 



The misguided introduction of a voracious 

 species of fish into many of our lakes by well 

 meaning individuals has so upset the biological 

 balance of these waters that our game fish have 

 been relegated to almost complete extinction, and 

 any further introduction of trout into these waters 

 is largely a waste of the sportsmen's money. For 

 that reason we have many splendid bodies of 

 water throughout the state which are lying idle 

 and are infested with practically nothing but 

 rough fish such as suckers, carp, squawfish, shin- 

 ers, sunfish, and other non-game fish. 



It would be possible to cite many examples 

 of such introductions which have occurred in the 

 last 10 or 15 years to waters which were famous 

 throughout the entire Northwest for the wonder- 

 ful rainbow fishing which they afforded. Today, 

 however, they stand almost barren insofar as 

 trout fishing is concerned, but are teeming with 

 millions of suckers, sunfish and shiners which 

 offer such serious competition for the natural food 

 available that the few trout remaining are hard 

 pressed to find sufficient food for their existence. 

 Further introductions of small trout from our hatch- 

 eries have been anything but successful. 



A FISHERMAN'S PRAYER 



Dear Lord, when Gabriel blows his blast 

 And I come home to rest at last, 

 Don't measure me for harp and wings, 

 But let me have instead these things, 

 Some tackle, and a rod and shiny reel, 

 A pair of nice dry waders and a creel, 

 A gushing, frothy, glacial stream, 

 A quiet lake by which to dream, 

 An Angel pal with whom to angle 

 And magic lines that will not tangle 

 And grant me leave with fingers crossed 

 To lie about the fish I lost. 



However, there is also a bright side to this 

 problem and a method which can be 100 per cent 

 effective in a large majority of these waters, and 

 that is by the use of derris root or rotenone. This 

 substance is obtained from the roots of derris and 

 related plants and imported from China; it is high- 

 ly toxic to all fish life. When introduced into the 

 waters infested with rough fish, in the proper con- 

 centrations, it exterminates all forms of fish 

 life therein. However, it has the advantage of 

 quickly dissipating its powers, and after a com- 

 paratively short time the restocking of these waters 

 so treated can commence, and the sportsmen can 

 then be assured that such lakes will again pro- 

 duce maximum trout fishing. 



It is to be regretted that this product cannot 

 be obtained at this time due to the fact that it 

 must be imported from the Orient. It is safe to 

 state that in the not too distant future importations 

 will again be resumed. When this time arrives the 

 department hopes to avail itself of sufficient quan- 

 tities to carry out many successful "tipping over" 

 projects and restore these lakes to their rightful 

 place in the angling world. 



Trout waters on Hellroaring Creek. 



[35] 



