salmon have been introduced, they have provided very good fishing. 

 During 1950, Georgetown Lake was a very good example of the use 

 of silver salmon in the management of an impounded lake. On the 

 opening day the silver salmon contributed over 50 per cent of the 

 total catch. The silver salmon population is entirely dependent on 

 artificial rearing and stocking methods perfected over several years 

 of management practice. 



Other game fishes that are found in the state are the following: 

 Large mouth black bass, small mouth black bass, bluegill sun fish, 

 and crappie, the great northern pike, the wall-eyed pike, the sauger 

 or sand pike. 



The warm water fish and the pike are grouped together under 

 one management plan. This is done because of the adaptability of 

 these species to impounded water. In proper management of im- 

 pounded waters there must be a proper ratio of forage fish to cannibal 

 fish to insure fishing success and returns. 



Stockmen and ranchers have constructed many ponds in Montana 

 and their many uses have been recognized by different organizations 

 dealing with land management. Fishery resources in these impounded 

 waters are incidental to the major uses. The prime use that will be 

 made of them is for stock watering; however, the introduction of 

 fish has provided fishing to many areas in Montana that previously 

 had very little fishing available. This has served a dual purpose. It 

 has provided fishing for new areas and indirectly has relieved some 

 of the trout fishing on the streams and lakes in Montana. In co- 

 operation with the U. S. Soil Conservation Service, the U. S. Fish 

 and Wildlife Service, the Montana State College, and the Montana 

 Fish and Game Department, experiments in management are being 

 carried on and from these experiments, a recommended fisheries 

 management policy will be submitted for use, geared to the climatic 

 conditions and water use in the state. 



SPAWNING 



The principal sources of trout and grayling eggs in the State 

 of Montana have been from wild stock with traps installed at George- 

 town Lake, Ashley Lake, Lake Ronan, the South Fork of the Madison 

 River, at West Yellowstone and Harrison Reservoir at Harrison, 

 Montana. 



During the biennium the biggest take out of any individual water 

 was from Georgetown Lake. The traps at Georgetown produced the 

 following numbers of eggs of different species: 



Rainbow Trout 2,737,768 



Eastern Brook Trout 943,721 



Native Trout 4,678,314 



Grayling — Almost ten million eggs were available 

 but only 3,664,386 were taken. 



The South Fork of the Madison is the only Loch Leven egg 



(26) 



