MONTANA STATE FISH COMMISSION. 35 



Dec. 6, 1912. 

 Montana State Fish Commission, 



Mr. E. P. Mathewson, Chairman, 

 Anaconda, Montana. 

 Dear Sir : — 



As Director of Hatcheries since March last, I hereby submit 

 report of operations durin^^ that period of time. 



At the time I took charge of the work, there were in the 

 Anaconda Hatchery about 900,000 brook trout fry. These were 

 too young- for distribution, but by the middle of April they 

 were old enough to send out and the distribution was made 

 as fast as possible until all were distributed. 



Blackspotted Trout. 



The trap was placed in Stuart Mill Creek at Georgetown 

 Lake about May ist, but not many natives came up for spawn- 

 ing, only about 100,000 eggs were secured from Georgetown 

 and Silver Lake together. A trap was also placed in upper 

 Flint Creek, but owing to high water going over the trap, no 

 fish were caught. 



Largely through the efforts of Senator Myers, over 2,500,000 

 eggs were received from the U'. S. Bureau of Fisheries, operat- 

 ing in Yellowstone Park. These filled the hatchery to over- 

 flowing and it was necessary to construct two new hatching 

 throughs and two large tanks, in order to properly care for 

 them. Thev were good eggs hatching out with but little loss, 

 about 12 per cent for the eyed eggs, up to distribution. The 

 fish have been all distributed except 2,600, which are retained 

 in a nursery pond for experiment. 



Grayling. 



These fish commenced to run at Georgetown about June i, 

 but not in as large numbers as formerly. Only 265 fish were 

 caught, but they were of good size and about one million eggs 

 were taken. The male fish, as usual, were not very good pro- 

 ducers of milt, but the eggs seemed -as good as usual and 600,- 

 000 fry were distributed. 



These fish must be present in Georgetown Lake in large 

 numbers, as the fishing has been good all the season, many 

 large fish being reported caught, some weighing as much as 

 four or five pounds each. 



There is no doubt but that the -persistent fishing between 



