In a few past cases it has been necessary to buy- 

 unwanted lands in order to get needed lands. The 

 surplus lands are traded for desirable lands or are 

 sold at public auction. Sales and trades now in 

 progress will dispose of 315 acres in Gallatin county 

 and 840 acres in Meagher county. 



Land already in public ownership is incorporated 

 in this program wherever possible. Since 1951, a 

 survey of state and federal lands to determine their 

 value as fishing access has been in progress. As a 

 result, the Bureau of Land Management and the 

 State Board of Land Commissioners have been re- 

 quested to retain in public ownership, lands border- 

 ing good fishing waters so that access to their waters 

 will be assured for the people of Montana. 



STATEWIDE CREEL CENSUS 



Information on fishing success is essential in 

 planning a fisheries management program. A state- 

 wide creel census has been in operation since 1948. 

 Catch information is gathered by wardens, biologists 

 and hatcherymen, and is received from sportsmen 

 in Fisherman's Logs. In addition, from time to time 

 questionnaires are sent to a 10 per cent sample of 

 the fishing license holders. The information received 

 is tabulated by electronic machines. 



Our statewide creel census shows that the ang- 

 lers' average catch was four trout and salmon for 

 each day spent fishing. About two-thirds of the 

 fishermen in Montana prefer trout stream fishing to 

 any other type. 



Montana rates with the top trout fishing states, if, 

 indeed, it is not the top state. 



FISHERIES INVESTIGATIONS 

 LABORATORY 



Determining the ages of fish was the primary 

 work performed at the fish laboratory at Montana 

 State College. During the biennium over 15,000 fish 

 scale samples were sent to the laboratory by fish- 

 eries biologists throughout the state. The scale 

 samples were processed, plastic impressions made 

 and these used to determine the age and growth 

 rates of the fish. These data were returned to the 

 fisheries biologists for use in various fisheries re- 

 search and management problems. 



To date, over 58,000 scale samples have been 

 processed at the laboratory and a summary of all 

 the significant age and growth data in the files is 

 now almost completed. 



The laboratory also makes studies on the food 

 habits of fish populations and analyses of samples 

 of stream bottom insects (fish food.) These jobs are 

 undertaken for fish managers and biologists as the 

 need arises. 



Location of the laboratory at Montana State Col- 

 lege allows the use of part-time student help to do 

 much of the time-consuming, sorting and prepara- 

 tions. This has proven an efficient and economical 

 use of manpower. 



RESERVOIR INVESTIGATIONS 



Fisheries studies were continued on three western 

 Montana hydro-electric reservoirs: Noxon Rapids 

 and Cabinet Gorge on the Clark Fork of the Colum- 

 bia River near Thompson Falls, and Hungry Horse 

 on the South Fork of the Flathead River near Kalis- 

 pell. Principal aspects covered by the research pro- 

 gram included evaluation of stocking hatchery- 

 reared rainbow trout, creel census, population trends 

 with emphasis on recovery of non-game fish in 

 partially rehabilitated Noxon Rapids, physical and 

 chemical characteristics of the two Clark Fork reser- 

 voirs, and methods to increase or establish spawning 

 runs of trout. 



Following the partial rehabilitation of the Noxon 

 Rapids project in 1958, three million fingerling rain- 

 bow trout were planted during 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 

 and 1962. These hatchery trout produced good fishing 

 from 1959 through the spring of 1961. Fishing success 

 fell markedly in May 1961 and has continued low. 



Population trend information has shown changes 

 occurring in the fish population of Noxon Rapids 

 Reservoir since the first census was taken in 1959. 

 In 1959, rainbow comprised 80 per cent of the total 

 population; in 1961 rainbow comprised only 10 per 

 cent, and initial 1962 information indicates that the 

 percentage of rainbows has fallen to less than five 

 per cent. Somewhat off-setting the decline of the 

 rainbow trout was the increased numbers of three 

 other game species: brown trout, Dolly Varden trout, 

 and whitefish. 



The rapid buildup of the rough fish and decline 

 of the rainbow as it occurred in Noxon Rapids casts 

 doubt on the value of partial chemical treatment of 

 large rivers being inundated for reservoirs. 



Measurements taken of the temperature and 

 oxygen levels in Noxon Rapids indicate that these 

 were within the limits of trout requirements. Other 

 factors such as rate of water exchange, shoreline 

 fluctuation, and lake currents may be detrimental to 



