Do We Know | 
What We 
Are Doing? 
The editor wrote a well-known 
fish-culturist here in the South- 
west and asked him to contribute 
an article to The Fish-Culturist 
News. What he has to say is just 
about what all fish-raisers are be- 
ginning to find out. By omittnig 
his name, we pass along to you 
what he thinks about the matter. 
“|, . Have been out of town for 
some time and haven’t had an op- 
portunity to answer your letter 
which came together with the 
proof of your Fish-Culturist News. 
“The News should prove very in- 
teresting and helpful to sportsmen 
as well as fish-culturists, if you 
can induce them to send in their 
ideas and information. My experi- 
ence has been in the past that 
many fish-culturists are reluctant 
to give out much information for 
one reason or another. Perhaps 
they realize that in spite of all the 
gigantic propagation programs 
that have been in operation the- 
past ten years, fishing gets no bet- 
ter fast. _Making statements in 
print is likely to put many of us 
on the spot concerning results in 
terms of increased angling. 
“There is no doubt in my 
mind that we have overdone the 
hatchery end of fish conserva- 
(See No. 4, page 2) 
Catch Your Brooders 
Out of Clean Streams 
Since permission to print this 
story from the man who carried 
out the following experiment was 
not obtained, his name will be 
omitted, but due to the fact that 
the experiment worked so well, the 
information should be in the hands 
of all potential fish-culturists. It 
proves the value of catching 
broodstock from a good stream in 
order to save a feed bill and at the 
same time obtain larger spawns 
from the brooders. : 
Two female channel catfish were 
taken from a nice, clean stream. 
One weighed six pounds, the other 
four. The one weighing six pounds 
layed 32,000 eggs. The four- 
pounder layed 28,000. The young 
fish were measured when first 
hatched. One cubic inch will mea- 
sure out 500 eggs or newly hatched 
channels. The broodstock held in 
holding ponds do not lay anything 
like that number of eggs. 
No difficulty was experienced in 
getting the females to spawn. In 
fact. they spawned within three 
days after being placed in the mat- 
ing pens. 
Therefore, to all would-be fish- 
raisers, catch your broodstock out 
of streams just before spawning 
time, and you will get far larger 
spawns, save a lot of time feeding, 
and also the cost of the feed. 
What About the 
Prairie Chicken? 
Why doesn’t some individual try 
raising prairie chickens? During 
the past few years a large number 
of privately-owned quail hatcher- 
ies have come into being over the 
country. It seems that it would be 
an ideal time for some of thes 
quail-raisrs, or othrs interested, for 





ery. We don’t know much about 
the prairie chicken, but old-timers 
tell us that they are easy to raise. 
Those who get in first would be in 
a position to make a great deal of 
mony from the chicks by selling 
them for restocking purposes. 
Would like to have some com- 
ment on this, especially from 
someone who knows something 
about them. 

Rangers’ Field Notes 
The Fish-Culturist News will 
in each issue in the future carry a 
column devoted to the game ran- 
gers of the country. Rangers are 
requested to send in anything they 
have of interest. Rangers every- 
where are invited to do this. 
<tae 
FIRST EDITION 
_Fred J. Singleton of Pueblo, 
Colo., is a man now, \ OA he re- 
members the days of his ‘boyhood, 
and the old fishing hole. After a 
long number of years he has 
bought the lake in Canon City, 
Colo., in which he fished when he 
was a boy, and plans to’ drain, 
clean out, and restock with his 
favorite fishes. Such projects as 
Mr. Singleton’s is one of|the rea- 
sons for the publication of The 
Fish-Culturist News, and that 
coupled with the very interesting 
letter of Mr. Singleton is the rea- 
son he rates the front page of the 
| very first issue of this little news- 
| paper. 
By reading the letter Mr. Single- 
ton wrote which follows, anyone 
can see that he is a genuine, true- 
blooded sportsman, and if all the 
sportsmen of Colorado are of his 
caliber, then that state certainly 
has a lot of fine fellows. 
What Mr. Singleton has done 
can be repeated a thousand times 
over by our people all over the 
country. There’s many a lakesite 
just waiting for someone to build. 
a dam to create a fine lake, and 
we believe that when our people 
awake to the possibilities of such 
projects they will build those 
dams, 
Not only can the people raise 
fish for food and sport in their 
‘beginning a prairie chicken hatch-| lakes, but also have sufficient ir- 
rigation facilities to raise a fine 
(See NO. 3, page 2) 
What Do You 
Know! about... 
Forage Minnows 
Some of you fellows who have 
been carrying on forage minnow 
experiments are requested to write 
of such and mail them to the edi- 
tor. We know that minnows sup- 
ply a large portion of the game 
fish’s diet and that they are a nat- 
ural food for all fish—so pass 
along all the information you can 
on the subject. 

9 
e. 
. - 4 2" 
ee ad ba F- 
DURANT, OKLA., P.O. Box 455 
Fish-Raisers Newspat 



pe 

The Old Fishing Hole’ fo Be Reclaimed by Colorado Sportsman 
The lake pictured above is the “Ole’ Swimming Hole” at Canon City, Colo., where Fred J. Singleton, 
as a boy, fished and skated, and which he has bought and reclaiming. What about your old 
hole? Wouldn’t you like to go back and fix it up, like Fred is doing? Chances are, you have 
right on your own land that you could turn into a fine lake with just a little effort and . 
by 
lakesite 

Red River Lake, |>°!! Conservation 
Fishermen's 
Paradise 
125,000 Acre 
Body of Water 
During the fall months of this 
year, one of the nation’s largest 
inland bodies of water will begin 
to form when the gigantic Red 
river dam watergates are closed. 
The lake is located between Du- 
rant, Okla., and Denison, Texas, 
just above U.S. highway 69. 
Since the south bank of Red 
river is the boundary line between 
Qklahoma and Texas, confusion 
and discension have arisen over 
the manner in which it shall: be 
permissible for sportsmen to fish 
and hunt. Oklahoma claims that it 
should receive the revenue from 
hunting and fishing licenses for 
all fishing and hunting north of 
the boundary line, and Texas 
claims her rights for revenue 
south of the line. Since the line 
will be under water,.a sportsman 
cannot know for sure just where 
he is fishing. 
The most logical and best sug- 
gestion yet to be presented is the 
one which would create a Red Riv- 
er Reservoir association. The 
hunting and fishing licenses would 
be sold, and the revenue used to 
promote the interests of the Red 
river lake. If such action were 
taken, the sportsman would simply 
go to the office at the lake and 
buy his license and would then be 
allowed to fish or hunt anywhere 
on the lake, without confusion. 
Too, the state of Oklahoma or 
the state of Texas could not take 
the money derived from licenses 
and use it to build a fish hatchery 
in deep South Texas, or far in the 
interior of Oklahoma. We think 
the money should be used to de- 
velop the sporting and recreational 
facilities in the immediate area, 
(See NO. 2, page 2) 

“Will Help You 
Build Ponds — 
The Soil Conservation Ss 
of the United States Department 
of Agriculture, cooperating with 
the Soil Conservation District, will 
give technical assistance to farm- 
ers and ranchers in surveying and 
construction of farm ponds so the 
pond will meet specifications for 
stocking with fish. The SCS keeps 
informed as to where fish may be 
secured for stocking of ponds. They 
have information as to the fertili- 
zation, care and management of 
the pond and fish for maximum 
production. Interested farmers 
may contact their local Soil Con- 
servation District office for infor- 
mation on how the farm pond can 
help produce food. 
Go Fishing 
and ‘Unlax’ 
Fishing takes on added impor- 
tance during war time. | u 
First of all, fishing supplies rec- 
reation for everyone contributing 
to the war effort. Second, fish are 
food — vital food—which grows 
abundantly in waters in the USA. 
Patriotically' saving tires and 
gasoline, Fishermen are taking 
shorter trips—fishing nearer home. 
And they’re discovering many good 
fishing streams and lakes. In fact, 
waters adjacent ‘to populated areas 
have been more heavily stocked 
than ever before. 
Angling for such species as cat- 
fish, carp, suckers, crappie, perch, 
bass, etc., is increasing in popular- 
ity as a result of the war. These 
fish are delicious food. 
. rf 
IS ’ZAT SO? 

% 
Because of poor vision and lack 
of insects fish find it difficult to 
feed during dark nights and are 
most apt to feed during the day— 
the opposite is true of bright light. 
Wonder who is authomey for that? 
, 
a ee xe 





“THOMAS J. RENICK, Publisher. 

r Begun 
Dedicated to Fish 
And Game Raisers 
The need for a newspaper 
dedicated to gathering and dis- 
seminating practical informa- 
tion on fish-culture, both for 
food and recreation, is the 
_ |main idea back of this little 
publication. The copy you are 
now reading is the first issue, 
and the publisher intends to 
print succeeding issues at such 
times as he has sufficient ma- 
terial to fill the columns. 
Hunting and fishing stories 
and reports also will be in- 
cluded in the paper. 
There is no set publication date 
as yet, owing to the fact that it 
remains to be seen whether or not © 
the people interested in raising 
fish and building lakes are suffi- 
ciently interested in such a news- 
gathering medium. Present plans 
{call for publication only occasion- 
ally. The next issue probably will 
be published some time in the 
coming winter. 
This issue of THE FISH- 
CULTURIST NEWS has _ been 
printed and mailed at the expense 
of the publisher, in the faith that 
the people working at fish hatch-~ 
eries, amateur fish-culturists, and 
lakeowners will send in their con- 
tributions to pay for following is- 
sues. Subscription price will be 
a made known later. 
There are hundreds of people 
wanting information on  fish- 
culture and lake operation, and it 
is thought that by printing an oc- 
casional issue of THE FISH- 
CULTURIST NEWS such infor- 
mation can be gathered from those 
experienced in raising and han- 
dling fish and passed along to the 
interested parties. 
There is another phase which 
might be developed if such infor- . 
mation is made available to those 
interested. That is the fact that 
there are so many hundreds of 
suitable lakesites which might eas- 
ily be turned into fine lakes, in 
which may be raised fish for sport 
and for commercial purposes. Not 
many people know that by buying 
a gamebreeders’ license annually 
that they have the privilege of - 
raising and selling game fish on 
the market just as though the fish 
were cattle. It is hoped that this 
newspaper will be able to help in 
this manner. 
The FISH- -CULTURIST NEWS 
will seek its information from men 
employed by the federal govern- 
ment and by the different states 
who operate fish hatcheries and 
who are experienced in all phases 
of fish-culture—from building cul- 
ture ponds to releasing: fingerlings 
in the open waters of the state’s 
lakes and streams. 
Build a Lake 
The people of America are 
sleeping on their own rights by 
not turning into lakes every suit- 
able available ravine, draw or 
natural basin which would require 
but a single dike in order to create 
a fine lake. It may be that the 
main reason they are not building 
lakes and raising food fish is be- 
cause the possibilities have not 
been explained to them and con- 
sequently they do not know the 
potentialities of producing fish for 
commercial purposes. If this little 
sheet helps this cause, then the 
(See NO. 1, page 2) 
=, 
