117% 
When the ponds and hatchery are completed, the capacity of the 
plant will be about 60,000,000 fry per year. 
Next year your commission would recommend the construction of 
another bass hatching plant at a suitable point just north of the center 
of the State to take care of the good bass waters in that section, not 
easily and economically reached from our northern ponds. 
We would further recommend that a hatchery be built next year 
at a suitable point on Lake Michigan, where lake trout and white fish 
may be hatched in the winter and pike-perch in the spring. 
IMPORTANCE OF OUR FISH WATERS. 
Your commission fully realizes that Illinois has fallen behind her 
sister states in the matter of fish production. This is due to neglect to 
propagate suitable fish fry for the stocking of our splendid lakes and 
streams. 
We believe that from most of our good fish water, now lying fallow, 
there can be produced as much food value as from a similar area of good 
land; and it is our purpose to so develop the department of fisheries as 
to make these waters productive, to the end that thousands of people who 
are fond of the sport of rod and reel may have an opportunity to enjoy 
an. occasional day’s healthful recreation, and at the same time add to the 
good food supply of the State. 
While directing our energies toward the propagation of game fish 
for the benefit of the thousands of anglers in the State, we purpose at 
the same time to increase the supply of the purely commercial fish. 
In the northern part of the State, the deep, clear-water lakes are 
peculiarly suited to pike-perch and black bass. In Lake County alone 
there are 52 lakes, including the Fox lake region, where pike-perch and 
black bass of splendid edible quality thrive. 
These and other northern lakes we purpose to stock from our Spring 
Grove pike-perch hatchery and bass ponds. 
There is an abundance of German carp in all of our northern lakes 
and streams. ‘These fish are caught in great quantities by the com- 
mercial fishermen each year. And yet the supply does not appear to 
diminish. It does not therefore appear to be necessary to do anything, 
for the present at least, in the way of the artificial propagation of carp. 
Comparing the present condition of our fishery system with that of 
other states will show how far Illinois has been lagging behind in this 
particular. And it will further show that there is much work to be done 
if this State is to take its proper rank among the fish-culturing states of 
the Union. Wisconsin, for example, maintains nine splendid hatcheries 
and a number of bass ponds at an annual cost of $50,000. These hatch- 
eries are conveniently located in different parts of the State, and turn 
out each year a variety of fish fry suited to the different waters of the 
State. 
For the inland waters, the state of Wisconsin hatches brook trout, 
rainbow trout, pike-perch and black bass. For the Great Lakes, lake 
trout and white fish are hatched. The waters of Wisconsin have been 
so well supplied with both game and commercial fish that an in- 
crease of revenue comes to the state annually from those who catch 
