Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-27
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Trout Fishing.


! OF the whole vast army OF American
anglers, whose golden season is just now
adawning, what per cent, do you reckon,
! appreciates the fact that there would be
| little good sport left for them today but
| for the interchangeable enterprise of a GER
/ tain great government institution head
quarteTad here at the federal capital?
| In the interest of all American disciples
of Izaak Walton the United States bureau
of fisheries IS, by interesting artificial
means. vastly Fastening natures processes
of multiplying and distributing popular
game fishes which otherwise would soon
become exterminated. Such a vast deal
! has been written about the activities of
this federal Institution in protecting our
shad. oyster lobster and other commercial
fisheries, and little has been said
about its guardianship over our game
fishes, that the public remains practically
in ignorance Of this latter enterprise
About two billions of fish and fish eggs
are being distributed per year by this bu
reau and more than a half of this out
put includes species sought by the sports
man. Six special cars travelling
more than $4,000 miles per annum the
work of distributing fish in every state
and territory of the land More than
third of billion of fortified eggs are
thus being annually distributed among the
state fish hatche,ies to be Matched and
over. a fleet of vessels, belonging TO this
great institution. is yearly travelling many
thousands of miles upon missions relating
to the protection of fish life.
Saving the "sport of Kings"
Take. for example, the noble trout which
affords man what has been often and Justly
called the sport of kings About eighty
millions of young trout. and trout eggs are
being annually distributed by this bureau.
OF the eight species being thus artifcially
multiplied the brook or "spcckled." trout
perhaps bids highest for the favor of the
eastern angler. He is pushing his con-
quest also among the fishermen of the west.
for he has been successfully transplanted as
far west now as the waters of the Rocky
mountains He is one of the most beautiful
fishes In existence. Agassiz reckoned that
he may live 100 or even 200 years.
This is how this sly and cunning species
is being artif1cially propagated at typical
government trout hatchery. Eggs are OBJ
tanned from brood fish, held in ponds. AS
the spawning season approaches these
lected trouts are sorted. according to age
and size. and transferred to Spawning
ponds which are seined once week for
ripe" fish. When the ends of the seine are
drawn up the Topping trouts are. by means
Of dipnets, transferred into tubs. They are
then examined, the ripe males and fe-
males being placed In separate tubs
buckets while the others are set free in
the pond. Each of the retained females
passes through the hands of a spawn
taker," who holds her as quietly as posi-
BILE until her struggles cease. Then, press
ing her gently with his thumb and fore
finger, he passes his hand down toward her
tail until her eggs drop into a pan. where
they are Immediately fortified with milt
obtained from the male in similar manner
A Trout Incubator.
The fortified eggs are soaked in water
until they separate. Next they are placed
in troughs of water with a half inch of
gravel bottom. Here they remain about
month, and until the eye spots commence
to appear. During this time they are being
constantly sorted, all bad eggs being
picked out and the water about the good
ones being famed with feathers to prevent
the accumulation of sediment-a task which
the female trout pursues with her inns
TRAYS of eyed" eggs now piled In
stacks inside the compartments of a large
incubator-a series of tanks with many par
titons, each compartment receiving a con-
slant circulation of water. AT intervals of
from three to six days the trays re-
moved and the eggs are picked over by
girls. who remove the unfertfle ones at the
rate of 100 per minute. After the little
trouts are Matched. they are transferred
to ten-gallon cans and shipped to the points
where they are to be finally planted. From
800 to 5000, depending upon the distance
to be covered. are placed in each can.
Trout fry are usually distributed in cars
of the bureau of fisheries. built especially
for the purpose. and affording both fresh
air and fresh water circulation for the lit
tie creatures. From the cars they are car
ried by wagon to the streams where they
are to be planted. Here they are dis
trbuted in small lots. IN different places.
where there is shallow water and good
bottom.
for breeding are placed in rearing troughs