The Whitefish pilot. [volume] (Whitefish, Mont.) 1904-current, 1912-07-25

The members Of the State Fish
commission are EP. Matthewson.
and H. p. Dean, of Anaconda, Geo.
Doll and the State Game Warden
Henry Avarre, cf Helena, and Ma
jor Baldwin of Ka,ispell. They came
into the Flathead last week and af-
ter making thorough inspection Of
all the sites offered decided on the
place on Flathead lake. There were
five sites to consider but the one
at Cramer's was found to be the best
as it offered the most advantages.
MI. .Cramer donated a certain piece
OF land for the hatchery but it was
found necessary to secure an addi-
tional acre and this deal was closed
up.
In an interview Saturday, one OF
the fish commissioners made the
following statement to the Kalispell
Journal:
The state hatchery to stock Flat
head lake would have been built and
In operation long ago had it not
been for delay in the plans which
the commission could not well avoid.
We had selected the site and were
about ready to proceed when We
learned that during the high water
pertodS this site wss sometimes
overflowed. This made it impractic-
able and we had to wait action by
the citizens in offering other sites.
Four have now been proposed and
our trip is for the purpose CT maxi
ing an inspection of them and Sc
lecting one which we believe will be
most. suitable for the hatchery. We
will waste no more time. The selec-
tion will be made while We are on
this trip and the advertising for the
bids will be authorized. Within 90
days the hatchery should be in oper-
alton and we will be able to bring
out some eastern brook trout this
season as they hatch in the fall.
"The plans for the hatchery are
all ready. Besides good-sized
building for the fish, they include a.
five-rocm bungalow fer the superin-,
tendent of the hatchery It will be a
good plant and, besides the white
fish, they will be able to produce
couple Of millions game fish each
year.
'The principal business CT the
hatchery, of course, will be to stock
Flathead lake with the Lake Super
ior whitefish. 1t is proposed to make
possible the production CT this fish
in commercial quantities and we
can see in the future a thriving
fishing industry on this splendid
body of water. 1t will be big thing
realized. Montana is now spending
$3,O0O,00O annually for fish outside
the state. principally for the Lake
Superior variety. We should keep
this at home and. besides, ship vast
quantities outside. With a we'll
stocked lake. we will be able to do
this, too. l understand that these
whitefish grow to a good market
size within three years after plant
ing and the stocking of the lake will
not be an endless task. We have al
ready experienced there. The gov
ernment planted some fry in the
lake six years ago and three years
, later the state put in half mil
, lion. We have heard that they have
done wen and there is no question
but what the Montana lake will
lend itself to the successful breed.
ing Of the fish. The state expects t<
II seine the lake before long to deter
d mine how the fish planted have
? prospened.
q "Of course under the presen1
q state game laws. no seining can b,
. done by private individuals in tn,
lake, but after 1t Is we'll stocked
g with whitefish it will be an eas.
II matter to have a bill passed to al
+ low the fishing to grow into a rea
industry.