SHEEP CREEK 



2 0-2 9 40-4 9 6 0-69 8 0%e.9 lO.O-IOS 



3 0-3 9 5.0-5.9 V^^O^'" a<«-9 



other trout would not do well 

 at all. 



Where eastern brook trout 

 have been introduced and have 

 established themselves, upwards 

 of 90 percent of the population 

 is below catchable size and does 

 not contribute to the angler's 

 bag. Fishermen prefei' to fish 

 elsewhere rather than catch 

 tiny brook trout. An unwise in- 

 troduction, not fishing pressure 

 has caused the trouble. In fact, 

 heavier fishing pressure on 

 these small fish might help. 



IS 



10 



IBIG ELK 



Brown Trout 



Unwise ? 



jDREEK 



v^ 



30-3.9 SO-5.9 70-7.9 9.0-9.9 



40-49 6.0-6.9 9.0-8.9 



Research on Sheep Creek, north of White 

 Sulphur Springs, and Big Elk Creek, near 

 T^wo Dot, sho-ws the large numbers oi eastern 

 brook trout which did not attain a length 

 oi more than 6.9 inches. 



As a result oi these studies, the seven- 

 inch limit on eastern brook trout was re- 

 moved. 



While it would be a very 

 bold statement to say the brown 

 trout was a completely unwise 

 introduction; nevertheless, it 



has caused trouble. It was not 

 even native to the United 

 States, but was brought here 

 from Europe. Native species 

 have declined in abundance 

 wherever it has been estab- 

 lished. It is a good fish, but the 

 average fisherman is not skilled 

 enough to catch him. The average fisherman finds fishing poor in 

 these brown trout waters, even though there are large populations 

 of trout present. 



In Rock Creek in Carbon County the brown trout constitutes 81 

 percent of the population of trout in the stream, and yet it makes 

 up only about 45 percent of the catch. In Prickly Pear Creek in 

 Lewis and Clark County, the brown trout constitutes about three- 

 quarters of the population of trout in the stream, and yet makes up 

 only one-third of the catch. The Shields River in Park County has 

 been reported as being a very poor fishing stream, and yet this stream 

 has been found to contain an average of 50 pounds of brown trout 

 per 300 feet of stream, an extremely high population of fish. 



Again it is evident in many waters that fishing is poor, not 

 because of heavy fishing pressure, but in this case because the 

 fishermen are not skilled enough to take browns even though large 

 populations of brown trout are known to exist. 



The program designed to alleviate the difficulties caused by 

 unwise introductions of fishes is twofold: (1) To prevent unwise 

 introductions and (2) To rehabilitate waters now containing un- 

 dftsvvable fishes and to plant these with desirable fishes. 



59 — 



