SPENCER AND SKYLES LAKE REHABILITATION 

 Spencer and Skyles Lakes are located about three miles west of 

 Whitefish on Highway No. 93. Many years ago these lakes provided 

 excellent trout fishing. Following the introduction of pumpkinseed 

 sunfish, yellow perch, and black bullheads the value of these lakes for 

 recreational fishing dropped to near zero. During 1954 these lakes were 

 mapped and surveyed for rehabiKtation. Public access is available on 

 about two-thirds of the shoreline of Spencer Lake through land held 

 in ownership by the State of Montana. Since Skyles 1 a' e was sur- 

 rounded entirely by private land, the Whitefish Rod and Gun Club 

 purchased an access strip to the lake and deeded it to the Fish and 

 Game Department for public recreational use. 



On September 27, 1955, these two lakes were rehabilitated. Skyles 

 Lake was treated with 1,220 pounds of toxicant and Spencer Lake with 

 1,040 pounds. These lakes will be stocked with cutthroat trout when 

 they are no longer toxic. 



Aerial applicant of toxicant is used where practical in streams and lake re- 

 habilitation. 



SURVEY OF CANYON FERRY RESERVOIR 



Canyon Ferry Reservoir, created by impoundment of the Missouri 

 River near Helena, was filled with water for the first time in 1955. 

 Closure of the impoundment was made in 1953. Approximately 750,000 

 fry and fingerling rainbow trout were stocked in the reservoir each 

 year since 1953. Rainbow trout supplied the principal fishery, and 

 through the spring of 1955 this impoundment gained an enviable repu- 

 tation for tremendously high quality trout fishing. 



During 1955 a survey was made of the reservoir to give indication 

 of what could be expected for the future of the fishery and to gather 

 information concerning trends of fish populations in this newly created 

 impoundment. Thirty-four overnight gill net sets took 6,341 rough 

 fish (93.8 percent of the fish caught), 287 trout and whitefish (3.3 

 percent) and 250 perch (2.9 percent). By weight rough fish comprised 

 about 85 percent of the catch, trout and whitefish 13 percent, and pan 

 fish 2 percent. Note should be made that rainbow trout alone were 

 planted in the reservoir, and yet 103 brown trout were taken in the 

 gill nets as compared with the catch of 63 rainbow trout. For a com- 

 parable period of time 476 rainbow trout and 7i brown trout were 

 checked in creel census samples which were taken. 



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