THE BLUEBACK SALMON OF FLATHEAD LAKE 



(Continued from page 31) 



Certain states and the Dominion of Canada 

 have expended large sums in an effort to fer- 

 tilize a few of their barren lakes to obtain better 

 fishing. Many carloads of fish offal and other 

 organic matter were transported from the coast 

 and introduced in these waters. Then followed 

 the introduction of various organisms and vege- 

 tation. When these had reproduced sufficiently 

 young trout fry were planted, and these waters 

 now afford excellent fishing. Previous to this time 

 they had been stocked for years with trout fry 

 totaling millions, with absolutely no results, as 

 these young fish starved to death as fast as 

 they were introduced, due to the absence of suf- 

 ficient food suitable for young trout. 



A condition quite similar to this has existed 

 in Flathead, Whitefish and MacDonald lakes. The 

 type and quantity of food suitable for the propaga- 

 tion of young trout is relatively scarce, and until 

 such time as organic conditions improve to per- 

 mit a denser concentration of this food, the most 

 ambitious stocking program will not achieve the 

 results desired. 



Investigation has revealed that the young 

 salmon is principally a plankton feeder and does 

 not interfere seriously with the food of young 

 trout. In fact the young Sockeye are readily eaten 

 and preferred by the large trout inhabiting that 

 body of water. 



The meat of the adult or near-adult salmon 

 is oily, highly colored, and of a superior flavor. 

 On the coast the Sockeye Salmon is preferred by 

 all canners and commands the highest price. 



During the summer months these salmon pre- 

 sent a most beautiful appearance, and many are 

 caught in Flathead lake by bait fishing and 

 trolling, although it is very seldom that they are 

 recognized as this species. They are usually 

 classed as silver salmon or native trout. 



Another condition we wish to clarify is the 

 misunderstanding that has existed in the minds 

 of many who contend that these salmon are a 

 menace to the spawning habits of the Native and 

 Rainbow trout that exists in these waters. The 

 Sockeye species spawn in the fall or early win- 

 ter, the large majority having completed the de- 



position of ova during the months of October, 

 November and December, whereas the rainbow 

 and native trout spawn in the months of March 

 April and May. This precludes any possibility of 

 competition between these species on the spawn- 

 ing beds. 



A few years ago a portion of Flathead river 

 known as Foy's bend was closed to fishing by an 

 order of the Commission, as large numbers of 

 small trout locally known as "Bluebacks" or 

 natives were rearing in that vicinity, and of the 

 hundreds of sportsmen who had made large 

 catches of these fish, none ever realized that 

 approximately 90 per cent were the Sockeye 

 Salmon species. 



The Montana Fish and Game Commission or 

 any other conservation agency will never have 

 sufficient funds to carry on a fertilization pro- 

 gram in such a vast body of water as Flathead 

 lake, and in our estimation the appearance of 

 these salmon is solving one of the most difficult 

 biological problems with which we are confront- 

 ed, and the only concern is that they might not 

 be able to complete this biological cycle before 

 their extermination. 



WILDLIFE RESTORATION DIVISION 



(Continued from page 36) 

 4. Coordination: A project has been set up 

 for the purpose of summarizing and integrating 

 the data obtained by the various branches of the 

 Restoration Division. In this way the necessary 

 information is prepared and presented to the Fish 

 and Game Commission and the State Game War- 

 den. A further responsibility is the keeping of a 

 systematic cost accounting system and in addi- 

 tion, a record of equpiment purchased and its 

 accountability, as well as the preparation and 

 submission of reports required by the Fish and 

 Wildlife Service. 



Reports of the progress of the various proj- 

 ects undertaken by the Division are included in 

 the following pages. 



The reports are brief, having been taken from 

 detailed field records which are on file in the 

 Fish and Game Department office. These are 

 available for more intensive review. 



[92] 



