MONTANA
STATE

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THE HISTORY AND PRESENT STATUS
OF GOLDEN TROUT IN MONTANA

by
Patrick E. Marcuson

April 1984

STATE DOCUMENTS COLLECTION

MONTANA STATE LIBRARY;

1515 E. 6th AVE.
HELENA, MONTANA 59620

State of Montana
Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks
Fisheries Division
DATE DUE

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INTRODUCTION

Golden Trout, native to the Kern River drainage of the
Sierra Nevada Mountains of California, is a fancy fish that
captured the hearts of many a man. Two such men. Col. Sherman
Stevens and his brother, transplanted 13 goldens from Mulkey
Creek, a tributary of the South Fork of the Kern River, to
Cottonwood Creek, California in 1876. The fish were carried in a
coffee pot across the Divide, a distance of 4 miles, because the
Stevens brothers were anxious that Cottonwood Creek be well
stocked for their use near their sawmill site. In 1981, E. H.
Edwards, a storekeeper at Lone Pine, California, and two friends
planted some of these Cottonwood Creek fish in Cottonwood lakes,
and by 1906 the lakes were described as being unusually well
stocked with goldens (Ellis and Bryant 1920). In 1917, a spawn-
ing station was established at Cottonwood lakes (Pister 1964) .
This site became the source of golden trout eggs. From 1928 to
1938, eggs were shipped to the National Fish Hatchery in Bozeman
(now the Fish Cultural Development Center). In 1939, an embargo
on golden trout eggs was imposed by the California Legislature
(McAfee 1966) . One documented batch of 600 eggs supposedly was
shipped to Montana in 1907 by the U. S. Bureau of Fisheries
(Brown 1971) before establishment of the spawning stations at
Cottonwood lakes.

Distribution records of the first golden trout delivered to
Montana are vague and poorly documented. A search of state and
federal hatchery records, literature correspondence, interviews
and field examinations of expected golden trout habitats suggest
the following lineage of the destination of golden trout in
Montana.

Table A. Eggs received from Cottonwood lakes, a. 1907-1938

Year No. Eggs Rearing Station No. & Destination of Fish

500 - Gallatin area

9,000 - Gallatin N.F.^

21,000 - Glacier N.F.
9,000 - Gallatin N.F.
2,000+- Wind River area,

Wyoming, Cook Lake
stock

1930 50,000 Bozeman N.F.H. 25,000 - Scheduled for Mission

Mt. lakes
Unkn. - Hidden, Lost Packer

lakes, Bitterroot N.F.

1931 50,000 Bozeman N.F.H. Unkn. - Upper & Lower Dutchman

lakes

1907^

600

Bozeman

N.F,

.H.

1928

50,000

Bozeman

N.F.

.H.

1929

50,000

Bozeman

N.F.

.H.

Table A. Eggs received from Cottonwood lakes, a. 1907-1938
(Cont.)

Year No. Eggs Rearing Station No. & Destination of Fish

1932 56,025 Bozeman N.F.H. 5,200 - Hidden lakes #1 & #2

6,000 - Helena area
Unkn. - Wind River Area,
Wyoming

1935 25,000 Bozeman N.F.H. Unkn. - Unknown

1938 100,000 Bozeman N.F.H. 16,200 - Gallatin N.F.

12,000 - Hidden lakes
8,000 - Golden Trout Lake
6,000 - Blue Danube
2,666 - Sears
2,666 - Emerald, Bitterroot

N.F. lakes
2,668 - Lava

10,000 - Anaconda F.H., Lake
of the Isle
3,000 - Sylvan Lake

12,000 - Lake Pinchot
5,000 - Jasper Lake

1939 Egg embargo

■'■References: McCloud 1943; U. S. Bureau of Fisheries (Boze-
man National Fish Hatchery records) : correspondence and inter-
views.

^Fish designated to the Gallatin National Forest for distri-
bution were in part responsible for golden trout once occupying
Ramona, Avalanche, Papoose, Cataract, Falls and Blue Paradise
lakes. One lot of 6,100 eggs was incubated in West Fork of
Beaver Creek.

Tabl

e B. Eggs received from Surprise Lake, Wyoming - 1957, 1958,
1963 and 1977-^

Year No. Eggs Rearing Station No. & Destination of Fish

1957 34,887 Big Timber 2,000 - Fish, Wildlife & Parks

Hdq. Pond at Bozeman
20 - Great Falls Fair -
1958

- 2 -

%

Table B. Eggs received from Surprise Lake, Wyoming - 1957, 1958,
1963 and 1977-'- (Cont.)

Year No. Eggs Rearing Station No. & Destination of Fish

400 - Creston N.F.H.
Unkn. - Hamilton F.H.

1958^ 62,000 Pig Timber 2,560 - Sawtooth Lake - 1959

1,600 - Hidden Lake #1 - 1959
1,920 - Hidden Lake #3 - 1959
1,600 - Hidden Lake #4 - 1959
1,600 - Hidden Lake #8 - 1959
10,000 - Kaufman (Falls Creek
Lake)
5,000 - West Boulder Lake
31,000 - Jim lakes
2,100 - Upper & Lower Sky

lakes - 1960
3,069 - Creston N.F.H. ; part

transferred to Hamilton
F.H. ; 510 to Herrig and
1,364 to Imagine lakes
in 1959

1963 14,600 Big Timber 13,260 - Island, Crescent and

Heart lakes
1977 11,200 Bozeman N.F.H. 2,600 - Duck Lake

2,600 - Shrimp Lake

4,500 - Fourmile Basin Creek

Lake #4
1,500 - Fourmile Basin Creek
Lake #5

State of Montana hatchery records - unpublished; some

'^Some of the 1958 fish could have been from Hamilton stock;

hatchery transfers are not listed.

^Some of the 1958 fish could
35,055 eggs were received from Daniel, Wyoming on July 4, 1958.

Table C. Other Montana egg takes, 1953-1983

Rearing
Year Source Lake Station No. & Destination of Fish

1953 Blue Danube Big Timber/ 2-3,000 - Kootenai Lake
Hamilton

- 3 -

Table C. Other Montana egg takes, 1953-1983 (Cont.)

Year Source Lake

Rearing
Station

No. & Destination of Fish

1955 Sylvan

Big Timber

1956 Sylvan

Big Timber

1959 Sylvan Big Timber
1964 Blue Danube Big Timber
1972 Sylvan Big Timber

1980 Sylvan
1981^ Sylvan

1982 Sylvan

1983 Sylvan

Unkn. -

Hamilton F.H.
stock

(brood

4,800

- Cairn Lake

6,400

- Medicine Lake

16,000

- Snowbank Lake (Fossil)

4,800

- Dewey Lake

1,600

- Big Park Lake

6,400

- Lake at Falls

10,300

- Lightning Lake

1,052

- Lake of the Winds

400

- Creston N.F.H.

500

- Rhoda Lake

1,328

- Louise Lake (Mary Lou)

575

- Rhoda Lake

- eggs failed

82 - Fish, Wildlife 6< Parks
Hdq. pond, Bozeman

Big Timber

1,300

-

Cave Lake

Anaconda

5,600

-

Big Butte Lake

5,530

-

Desolation Lake

3,840

-

Little Scat Lake

3,360

—

West Fishtail Creek
Lake

2,065

-

Rock Tree Lake

2,065

-

Upper Whitney Lake

1,920

-

McKnight Lake

1,920

-

Upper McKnight Lake

1,920

-

Asteroid Lake

1,440

-

Dryad Lake

Anaconda

6,500

_

Desolation lakes

6,500

West Fishtail Creek
lakes

Anaconda

3,000

-

Fourmile Basin Lake #4

3,000

-

Duck Lake

■'■All fish from 1981 egg take were planted in July 1982 as 4-
inch fish in lakes in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness.

- 4 -

Table D. Plants from Hamilton Fish Hatchery, 1960

Rear ing
Year Station

Transfer
Station

1960 Hamilton Libby

1960 Hamilton None

1960 Hamilton Anaconda

1960 Hamilton None

No. & Destination of Fish

2,030 - Smith Lake Rearing
Pond

500 - Sock Lake
500 - Renshaw Lake

2,500 - Fourmile Basin Lake #4
4,480 - Little Lake Creek
lakes (2)

Unkn. - Arrowhead Lake
Unkn. - Duckhead Lake

Table E. Transfer by unauthorized persons

Lake Stocked

Source Lake

Approximate Year

Bar rier

Lake Pinchot

1939

Table F. Downstream, dispersement

Source Lake

Year Stocked
in Source Lake

Jasper

Lake Pinchot

Dewey

Lake at Falls

Hidden #1 & 2

1938
1938
1955
1955
1959

Recipient Lake£

Golden, Hidden

Flood Creek lakes (6)

Twin Outlets, Duggan, Big Park

Rainbow, Rimrock

Hidden lakes #5, 6 i, 1^

■•■This may have been an unauthorized transplant, since no

evidence of 1959 plants appeared downstream,

- 5 -

The earliest dissemination of golden trout from the National
Fish Hatchery in Bozeman was largely confined to the Gallatin
National Forest. Much of this early stocking involved CCC and
Forest crews; records were scarce. Many lakes were unnamed,
others changed. Some unnamed lakes took on a name after the
fish, e.g.. Golden Trout and Golden lakes. It was the mid-1950's
when fisheries employees in Montana resumed stocking golden
trout. Populations in Sylvan and Surprise lakes supplied the
eggs. A feeble attempt to establish a brood station at Hamilton
was short-lived. The majority of the eggs were reared at Big
Timber and stocked directly into the Beartooth area lakes, or
were transferred to a hatchery on the west side of the Divide for
subsequent dispersement.

The first recorded attempt at securing golden trout eggs was
in 1953 at Blue Danube Lake in the Hilgards. A crew of Opheim,
Mitchell, Spindler and Schurr stripped eggs, and subsequently
2,000-3,000 fish were raised at Big Timber and Hamilton hatch-
eries. The goldens were requested by a forest ranger for Koot-
enai Lake near Stevensville (Opheim 1953, pers. comm.).

In 1955, 1956 and 1959, eggs were collected at Sylvan Lake
by combinations of the following: Nelson, Keller, Waples, Gaab,
Taylor, Matthews, Eberle and Domrose. Some eggs collected by
Higgins in 1964 from Blue Danube failed to develop. A small
collection of eggs were taken in Sylvan Lake by Marcuson in 1972.
These eggs were taken incidental to censusing the fishery. The
small number of survivors (82) were stocked in the pond behind ^
the Fish and Game headquarters in Bozeman. In 1980, approxi-
mately 2,000 eggs were again taken at Sylvan Lake by Peterson and
Marcuson. Cave Lake in the Crazy Mountains was the recipient of
1,300 fish from this take. A collection of 488 adult goldens was
obtained from Sylvan Lake in 1981 by Marcuson and crew. Peterson
and Sholtz stripped 79,811 eggs from about 50% of the fish.
These eggs were treated with erythromycin and delivered to
Yellowstone River Trout Hatchery. They were later shipped to
Washoe Springs Trout Hatchery in Anaconda. Approximately 30,000
fish were stocked in Beartooth mountain lakes in 1982 from this
egg take.

Golden trout populations, once fairly prevalent in approxi-
mately 50 lakes in Montana now reside in 14 habitats. The demise
of golden trout populations were of four causes: 1) inability to
sustain; 2) winterkill in marginal habitats; 3) hybridization
with other spring spawners and 4) inability to compete with brook
trout.

Rainbow and cutthroat trout plants directly into golden
trout waters or in lakes upstream soon hybridized and the genetic
integrity of the pure golden trout was lost. Because of the
golden trout's elusiveness to observation, hook and line and
sometimes netting, fish managers or unauthorized transplanters ^
assumed barrenness. One objective of this paper is to prevent ^'
further hybridization by describing the status and whereabouts of
the existing golden trout populations.

- 6 -

METHODS

Water temperatures were collected with three 30-day record-
ing thermographs at Sylvan and Lightning lakes during 1973 and
1975. Surface to bottom water temperatures were measured over
deep portions of these lakes with a thermistor and probe.
Instantaneous temperatures v/ere read with a pocket thermometer in
association with all investigative actions.

Substrate composition of artificial and natural spawning
sites was taken with the aid of a 2-pound coffee tin. Grain-size
analysis followed the procedures of Welch (1948) . A Price-type
current meter and a staff gauge was employed in the outlets of
Sylvan and Lightning lakes, and flows were converted to cubic
feet per second. Redd sites were measured to the nearest inch.

Fish were collected in nylon 5xl25-foot gill nets (graduated
mesh 3/4 to 2 inches square) set overnight in each lake. All
representative samples were photographed and coloration was noted
and sketched. Lengths, weights, sex, fat content and body condi-
tion were recorded on each fish. Stomachs were removed, sorted
to length groups and preserved in formalin. Contents of stomachs
were sorted, counted and weighed. Only contents anterior to the
pyloric caece were considered. Food types were cataloged in
relation to where it was consumed: terrestrial, water column or
benthic zones.

Scales and otoliths were removed from each fish for aging.
Eggs were counted in each morbid female of various size groups.

Protocol for collection of fish health inspections followed
the format of the U. S. Department of the Interior, Fish and
Wildlife Service, Fish Disease Control Center. Attempts were
made to have at least a 30-fish sample of each feral population
of golden trout. Samples collected included fecal material in
10% formalin, fecal smears trypticase soy agar, (TSA) cultures,
saline preserved kidney/spleen samples and gill arches in 10%
formalin. Genetic samples involved collecting one eye, a slice
of kidney and muscle tissue from each fish. Genetic variation
was determined by Steve Phelps, Population Genetics Laboratory,
University of Montana, using horizontal starch gel electro-
phoresis according to method of Utter, Hodgins and Allendorf
(1974) .

FINDINGS

Locations

As of 1981, the State of Montana had 17 lakes harboring
golden trout (Table 1) . Because of the close proximity of cer-
tain waters and interchange of fish between waters as in Light-
ning and Little Lightning and three Hidden lakes in the Gallatin,
only 14 real populations existed in 1981.

- 7 -

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- 9 -

Golden trout populations in Montana were found only in
lakes; no stream populations were found. All waters were acces-
sible by maintained Forest trails, except Lightning and Cave
lakes. Distances from trail heads to lake shores ranged from 2
to 8 miles.

Stocking Histories

The existing 14 stocks of golden trout were the result of
egg shipments to Montana between 1928 and 1938 from collecting
facilities at Cottonwood lakes, California; Surprise Lake, Wyo-
ming and transplants from Sylvan Lake (Table 2) .

Catch Data, 1981

During August 1981, 19 experimental nets were set in 13
alpine lakes where golden trout populations were anticipated.
Golden trout were captured in all but two lakes. Two experi-
mental nets set in Cave Lake were folded to increase the catch-
able surface area, but no fish were captured or observed. The
lack of catch was assumed a result of small yearling fish, inade-
quate mesh size and small numbers of fish (stocked at 84/acre in
1980). An overnight gill net set August 8, 1982 captured five 2-
year-old goldens.

It was also known to this investigator that brook trout
coexisted with golden trout in Fourmile Basin Lake #3 near
Anaconda. An experimental net set overnight in this lake
captured only brook trout.

Another experimental net was set in Hidden Lake in the Bear-
tooth Mountain Range. The last sampling of this water in 1976
produced equal numbers of Age Class II golden and cutthroat trout
(Marcuson 1980) . The net set in 1981 captured only cutthroat
trout. No golden trout were observed and goldens are assumed
extinct in Hidden Lake.

Examination of hatchery records at Anaconda revealed golden
trout were stocked in two of eight lakes in Fourmile Creek Basin
in 1977. Evidence of these fish appeared in Fourmile Basin Lake
#4; none were captured or observed in Fourmile Basin Lake #5.
Records also showed Duck and Shrimp lakes in nearby Twin Creek
drainage were stocked at the same time. No nets were set in
these lakes, and again it is assumed that goldens occupied these
waters in 1981; however, no reproduction was expected (Vashro,
pers. comm. ) .

Island Lake in Mission Mountains yielded the largest over-
night catch of golden trout in a gill net. Numerous fish were
observed jumping and swimming shoal areas. Individual fish were
mostly small, less than .25 pounds. The population density
appeared greater than optimum for available food and space.
Reproduction was obvious and mortality from angling appears
insignificant.

- 10 -

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- 12 -

Heart Lake immediately downstream from Island Lake yielded
only one 4-year-old trout. No other fish were observed from
shore or while snorkeling. Based on the excellent condition of
this one fish, its size at Age IV and the high level of available
food, it appeared Heart Lake was at an extreme low-density level.

Crescent Lake produced an overnight catch of 11 golden
trout, all very small fish. Others were observed jumping and
swimming shoal areas. No sexually mature females were captured.

Sawtooth Lake in the Pioneer Mountain Range produced a well-
balanced structure of numerous^ well-composed fish. Reproduction
was evident with juveniles aggregated around redd sites in the
inlet. Wipperman witnessed a similar structure in 1964.

Fourmile Basin Lake #4 appeared to have few fish. Two fish
were observed and two fish were captured. Both fish were Age IV
and averaged 1 pound. Gillnetting in 1962 produced 21 golden
trout between 7.3 and 8.6 inches (Marcoux 1973). All fish were
Age II from a 1960 plant. In 1981 fingerlings were observed in
the outlet. However, the exit of this stream at the lake created
a barrier to juvenile recruitment back to the lake. Many juve-
niles were trapped in small isolated pools.

Little Lightning Lake always produced numerous small 2 and
3-year-old fish (Harcuson 1980). The largest fish captured in
Little Lightning Lake was a 16.3-inch, 1.56-pound female.

Eleven fish netted in Hidden Lake #2 were of three size
groups (8.5, 10.8 and 14.6 inches), indicating at least partial
reproductive success. This shallow lake was sparsely populated
with golden trout. One fish was observed in the shallow inlet
stream 150 feet upstream from the lake's confluence. Fish were
full of Gammarus lactustris and were in good physical condition.

Numerous small golden trout were observed and captured by
hook and line in the shallow, pond-like environments of Hidden
lakes #5, 6 and 7. Gaffney (pers. comm.) reported observing
numerous, small golden trout in these lakes in 1958. The 1981
experimental net set in Hidden Lake #5 captured seven golden
trout, averaging 7.8 inches and 0.17 pounds. These brightly
colored fish spawn in the small stream between Hidden lakes #5, 6
and 7; access between lakes was unobstructed. These fish
appeared totally different in coloration from those fish in
Hidden Lake #2 upstream. The outflow of Hidden Lake #2 had 350
feet of gradient with falls and appeared suicidal to fish moving
downstream. The physical features of the Hidden lakes make for
three separate ecological entities: lakes #1 and 2; lakes #5, 6
and 7 and lakes #3, 4 and 8. The latter group had occasional
golden trout; none were observed in 1981. They were last stocked
in 1959 with 6-inch fish.

Golden trout were prevalent in Golden Trout Lake in the
Gallatin drainage. Numerous small fish were observed. Camping
sites and shoreline abuse suggested heavy fishing pressure. Eggs

- 13 -

were excavated from redds in a small reach of inlet near the lake
and in a small meadow 120 feet in distance and at an elevation of
80 feet above Golden Trout Lake. No juveniles were found. In
spite of the eggs upstream, the inlet appeared to have much too
much gradient for fish passage. No fish were found in the up-
stream ponds. Unauthorized transplants may occur occasionally in
this aiea. The outlet appeared the primary spawning site; juve-
niles were common in pools and aggregated around the outlet-lake
margin.

Of all lakes sampled, Blue Danube appeared to have the
lowest population density. Only one fish was captured, none were
observed and two outfitters complained of no fish. Marcoux
(pers. comm.) surveyed Blue Danube in 1975 and found a good
population ranging from 6.5 to 18 inches. Previous spawning
success was restricted to the outlet which when observed in 1981
provided little flow and a silted substrate. No fish were
observed downstream or in a meadow lake 1/4 mile down drainage.

A total of 488 golden trout were collected in 2 1/2 days for
obtaining 79,811 eggs in early July 1981 at Sylvan Lake. The
female parents of the eggs averaged 10.5 inches; males were 10.0
inches. Two gill nets pulled September 1, 1981 produced 40 fish,
averaging 9.0 inches, .32 pounds. This ]ake consistently pro-
duced numerous fish, most less than 13 inches in length.

Appearance and Coloration

The lack of homogenous coloration, spotting and overall
appearance of various golden trout populations and even individ-
ual fish within a population led scientists to classification
disagreements. From early on, golden trout were classified Salmo
iridius (Henshaw 1875), S^ mykiss aquabonita (Jordan and Henshaw
1878), ^ whitei (Marcuson 1980) and £^ gilberti (Vore 1928).
The two latest studies, Schreck and Behnke (1971) and Gold and
Gall (1980), concur on the present acceptable subspecies S^
aquabonita aquabonita. The other subspecies, S^. Su. ailbfixti,
still has some confusion regarding classonomic integrity.

Golden trout in Montana all have their roots from Sj. Sj.
aquabonita in Cottonwood lakes, California; however, two distinct
appearing types of goldens were apparent. Those fish with a
lineage via "Surprise Lake," Wyoming stocked between 1960 and
1977 had an appearance and coloration different from those which
were direct plants from Cottonwood lakes. The latter group was
termed "typical" (Table 3).

The "typical" golden trout described by Evermann (1905) and
McAfee (1966) had the following coloration and spotting charac-
teristics :

1. Colorstjon - Bright, cherry-red belly from throat to
anal fin; predominately deep olive-green back; metallic, lemon-
yellow sides; rosy lateral band; one series of 10-12 large,

- 14 -

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- 16 -

t5

prominent parr marks silvery-gray in color; white tips on anal
and ventra] fins.

2. Spetting. - Large spots, few in number, concentrated in
caudal area, few below lateral line; none or very few on body
anterior to dorsal fin; dorsa] and caudal fin heavily spotted.

The "Surprise Lake" golden trout tended to have the follow-
ing characteristics:

1. Coloration - Silvery or lighter pigmented; less vivid
olive-green back; anal fin with less orange coloration; rosy
lateral band often less vivid than on "typical" type; 10-12
large, silvery-gray parr marks which do not stand out as much as
on the "typical"; white tips on anal and ventral fins.

2. Spotting - Same as on "typical" golden trout except for
more spotting anterior to dorsal fin.

3. Body - Usually more robust, less slender than "typical"
golden trout.

To complicate further, there were variations in colorations
of some individual golden trout in specific waters. Similar to
California habitats (Pister, pers. comm.) some individuals in the
"typical" class became more silvery and somewhat similar to the
"Surprise Lake" fish, especially in large lakes. Lighter color
variations were usually females scrutinized well after the spawn-
ing season. Large lakes also had large males and females without
prominent parr markings. Often ]arge males in large lakes were
crimson frorr. the eye to the anal fin with this vivid color
merging into the olive-green colored back. The newest State of
Montana record (1981) was a male with this dominant red colora-
tion.

Age and Growth

The most pronounced differences in growth between popula-
tions of golden trout were among Age IV and older fish (Table 4).
A mean difference of 4.8, 4.3 and 3.9 inches existed for the Ages
IV, V and VII fish, respectively. The smallest golden trout
resided in the small pond-like lakes in the Hidden Lake chain #5,
6 and 7. Golden Trout Lake also contained snail fish. Island
Lake appeared overpopulated with somewhat stunted fish. The
population structure in Island Lake appeared similar to that of
Cottonwood Lake #3 in California (Curtis 1934).

Sylvan and Little Lightning lakes are not noted for large
fish; however, populations were usually rejn esented with a
complement of age groups. Growth inhibition in Sylvan Lake
appeared food related, while Little Lightning Lake acted as a
nursery for Lightning Lake with some older residents. Ninety-
five percent of the fish were 3 years old and younger. Growth
rates in Cottonwood Lake #4 in California resemble that in Sylvan
Lake.

- 17 -

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19 -

The largest golden trout resided in Lightning Lake, where
immature fish were rarely captured. Hidden Lake #2 had indica-
tions of a low density, good growth situation. Large, esthetic
fish were common to Sawtooth and Fourmile Basin Creek Lake #4
where food organisms were abundant.

Numerous collecting efforts of golden trout in Lightning and
Sylvan lakes suggested hardships were typical during winter
months. Fish were of slighter body, weights registered lighter
and condition factors averaged five digits lower in the early
spring. Fish, however, filled out markedly by spawning season in
early July. Larger females had fewer and smaller scales than
smaller fish. Large males rarely had remqvable scales, just
heavy pigmented skin.

Golden trout in Sylvan and Lightning lakes enter their first
winter at less than 1 month of age at a mean size of 1.2 inches.
No scales were formed the first winter. Juveniles grew during
the winter and were between 3.0 and 4.0 inches at ice breakup.
By Age I, they ranged from 4.3 to 5.5 inches.

In the other populations of golden trout in Montana, juve-
niles observed in late August 1981 were larger than those living
at the higher altitudes of Sylvan and Lightning lakes. However,
at Age Group II, most of these fish averaged smaller than goldens
in Lightning and Sylvan lakes.

The oldest goldens examined in Montana were a population of
now extinct, known-age, 14-year-old fish in West Boulder Lake in
the Absaroka Mountain Range. They ranged from 14.3 to 18.2
inches and were sexually ripe during the spring of their 14th
year (Marcuson 1976).

The State of Montana record for golden trout captured by an
angler (in 1981) was 20.5 inches, 3.14 pounds. This fish was one
of a few left in Lake at Falls in the Beartooth Mountains. The
largest unofficial record was a fish estimated at 14 pounds.
This large fish was trapped, stripped of eggs and released in
Lightning Lake in 1975 by the author.

Condition factors ranged from a low of 31.3 for a one-fish
sample in Blue Danube to 52.1 for goldens from Lightning Lake.
Condition factors (C = 100.000 W) for each lake averaged as
follows: L^

Blue Danube 31.3

Golden Trout 35.8

Hidden #5, 6 & 7 35.8

Fourmile Basin #4 38.9

Sawtooth 41.6

Heart 42.5

The mean condition factor in Cottonv
1934) .

- 20 -

Island

43.3

Sylvan

43.9

Crescent

45.2

Little Lightni

ng

50.4

Hidden #2

51.9

Lightning

52.1

Cave

54.5

ood lakes was

38.

,8 (Curtis

(«■

Reproduction

Ice covered about half of Sylvan and Lightning lakes' sur-
face when Age III and older fish started assembling near warmer
outlet waters. In Sylvan Lake this occurred June 20, 1981; June
27, 1973 and July 12, 1975. Spawning began 15- days later m
Lightning Lake with less exposure and 187 additional feet of
elevation than Sylvan Lake.

Fish moved into outlet traps and shoal area near the outlet
when water temperatures were near 40° F and began spawning in
temperatures from 44 to 58° F. No eggs could be artifically
taken at temperatures less than 44°^ F. The peak spawning
activity in Sylvan Lake occurred July 6, 1981; July 9^^1973 and
July 20, 1975 when temperatures ranged between 48 and 54 F.

During 3 years of studying reproductive activities of golden
trout, the 3 and 4-year-old fish were the most numerous age
aroups in the spawning run (Table 5) in Sylvan Lake. Age II fish
were predominately precocious males. A few 2-year-old females
yielded 50 to 150 eggs. Ages III and IV females, usually 9-11
inches in length, produced 350-700 eggs. One 19-inch female had
1,750 eggs (Fig. 1).

Pedds were generally small, often occupying small gravel
deposits between rocks. A typical redd covered a 3x6-inch area,
3-4 inches deep and from 8-12.5 inches under water. Redd sites
in pea gravel along lake shoals were mostly high and dry before
emergence.

The spawning substrate at each successful artifical redd
site as we] 1 as numerous selected natural redds was composed of
2-inch and smaller rock. All successful hatching was in material
with less than 1% fines and with less than 10% of the material
smaller than .5 mm.

Incubation period ranged from 46-50 days at a mean tempera-
ture of 52° F in Sylvan Lake. In Lightning Lake, emergence took
52 days at a mean temperature of 46° F. Fish were 1.2 inches
when their yolk sacs were absorbed in September. Eggs incubated
at 52° F at the Yellowstone River Trout Hatchery took 31 days to
hatch. Hatching time was 28 days at 46° F at Daniel Hatchery,
Wyoming (Hudelson, pers. comm.) and 24 days at 60° F at the Mount
Whitney Hatchery in California (Toth, pers. comm.).

Examination of other Montana waters with golden trout
revealed a similar preference for outlets as primary spawning
sites. Evidence of some inlet spawning was apparent at Hidden
Lake #2 which had a lake upstream; some at Golden Trout Lake,
also with lotic waters upstream, and Sawtooth Lake. No evidence
of outlet utilization by goldens was apparent at Sawtooth Lake.
Water temperatures < = 40° F during the physiological stage
goldens were ready to spawn apparently determined whether a
population became self-sufficient. Most alpine lakes, unless
part of a chain or a wide spot in the stream, did not have one

- 21 -

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- 22 -

SYLVAN

m
W
O

800 -I

500 -

0 -

7.5

9.0

~~r

10

11

Total length in inches

LIGHTNING

CO

en
W

<w
O

1,600 -|

1,200 -

800 -

400 -

0 -

T I I i 1

6.5 8.5 10.5 12.5 14.5 Longer

Total length in inches

Fig. 1 Egg complements of golden trout in Sylvan and Lightning
lakes.

- 23 -

consolidated inlet. Rather, they had numerous, ephemeral runoffs
from surrounding snow and ice fields.

Food Habits

Lakes harboring golden trout all had their individuality
regarding consumable organisms available to fish diets. Specific
studies on six Absaroka-Beartooth lakes revealed golden trout
were not totally opportunistic where menu choices were available.
Golden trout populations in Montana were found in three types of
lake habitats: 1) eutrophic, pond-like lakes; 2) small, somewhat
shallow oligotrophic lakes and 3) large oligotrophic lakes (Table
6) .

Those fisheries in the eutrophic class were more opportunis-
tic feeders, utilizing numerous items. The mainstay in these
habitats appeared to be mostly dipterans and Gammarus.

With the exception of Sylvan Lake, goldens occupying small
oligotrophic lakes were usually part of a string or chain of
lakes. Populations of fish were often dependent on reproduction
upstream. The occupants of small, oligotrophic lakes are small
to medium sized fish with an occasional larger 1 1/2 pounder.
These lakes supported less invertebrate diversity than eutrophic
lakes. Food organisms were taken from the benthic to surface
zone, depending on the season. Dipteran pupa taken in the water
column represented the overwhelming food consumed.

Large oligotrophic lakes usually supported larger golden
trout. Diversity of invertebrates was no greater than that found
in small o]igotrophic ]akes, but the quantity of organisms was
higher. Typical zooplankton density was 450-900 per cubic meter
of water in large lakes compared to 50-200/m-^ in small oligotrop-
hic lakes. Zooplankton of the large varieties (+2 mm) were
usually absent in smaller, shallower lakes. Of those lakes
listed in Table 6, only Blue Danube failed to produce large fish
in 1981. Benthic organisms were preferred nourishment in large
oligotrophic lakes.

Table 6. Class of lake habitats with golden trout in Montana

Small Eutrophic

Small Oligotrophic-

Large Oligotrophic

Hidden #5, 6, 7
Golden Trout

Little Lightning

Sylvan

Hidden #2

Island

Crescent

Heart

Lightning
Sav/tooth

Fourmile Basin #4
Blue Danube
Cave

-'-Sometimes referred to as Mesotrophic.

- 24 -

An accumulated sample of 419 stomachs were collected season-

^ ally from six Absaroka-Beartooth lakes between 1972 and 1981 and

■^ another 401 stomach samples in Sylvan and Lightning lakes.

Differences were more evident among diets of fish in small lakes

than those larger fish typical of large lakes (Table 7).

Larger fish in large lakes fed heavily on benthic organisms,
larva forms of Diptera, Plecoptera, Tricoptera and Ephemoptera.
Water column foods were next most popular; Diptera pupa and, when
available, Gammarus dominated the choice. Zooplankton were found
incidental to other foods in only six fish in larger lakes.
During, before and after spawning, some surface feeding was
observed. The total weight and numbers of terrestrial organisms
in golden trout diets was usually small, even though the fre-
quency of terrestrial-originated foods was common, especially
during the spring.

Most of the food consumed in small oligotrophic lakes origi-
nated in the water column followed by the benthic and lastly from
the terrestrial environment. Dipteran pupa again were the most
heavily utilized feed. During winter, larval Dipterans from the
benthic zone dominated the menu. Cladoceran zooplankters were
utilized under ice conditions by some of Sylvan lakes' younger
golden trout, a food source rarely utilized in the lakes studied.
The dominant terrestrial food organisms in both small and large
oligotrophic lakes were flying ants.

>% Of 820 stomachs analyzed, there was never an incidence of

'"^ fish or fish eggs. This held true throughout the spawning and
emergence periods. Golden trout occupying Lightning Lake were
rarely seen after spawning season. This disappearing act was in
harmony with resumption of benthic feeding activity, often in the
deepest water near the outlet.

Competition

The demise of Montana's 50 plus populations of golden trout
were largely due to introductions of other spring spawning
species of fish. Hybridization was commonplace; species were
replaced. Seventeen lakes in Montana are still known for these
colorful crosses (Table 8).

Golden trout are eventually eliminated when cohabiting a
lake with brook trout. Golden trout in Fourmile Basin Lake #3
never sustained in the presence of brook trout. One golden trout
and 42 brook trout were gillnetted in 1962 (Whitney and Domrose
1964); 2 goldens, 40 brook trout were netted in 1973 (Marcoux
1973)' and no goldens were found and 32 brook trout netted in
1981. Density of trout in Fourmile #3 was dependent on an
occasional escape from Fourmile #4 upstream, escaping predation
and finding food in an already crowded environment of brook
trout.

- 25 -

Table 7.

Summary of
Absaroka-Be

diets of golden trout in six lakes in the
artooth Mountains, Montana

No. of
Stomachs

Freauencv of Occurrence-^

Terrestrial

Water Column

Benthic

Misc.

+8 inches
-8 inches

362
60

182
6

233
32

195
31

241
37

Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter

62

305

48

4

29

120

38

0

42

196

25

3

38

151

34

3

31

206

38

3

Large lakes
Small lakes

63
356

37
151

39

227

48
178

37
244

No. of
Stomachs

Number

0 raan isms Cons umeji

Terrestrial

Water Column

Benthic

Misc.

+8 inches
-8 inches

347
60

4,049
384

81,125
10,585

17,890
3,499

-

Spring
Summer
Fall

Winter

47

305

48

4

222

3,069

1,176

0

1,021

89,232

793

68

1,049

14,627

6,583

29

-

Large lakes
Small lakes

63
341

355
4,078

811
90,899

6,583
14,499

-

- 26 -

Table 7. Summary of diets of golden trout in six lakes in the
Absaroka-Beartooth Mountains, Montana (cont.)

No. of

Stomachs

Biomass

(G

rams

i) of Organisms Cons

lumed

Terrestria

il

Wat

er Column

Benthic

Misc.

+8 inches
-8 inches

362
60

38.50
.21

176.58
7.33

92.18
6.21

65.59
7.68

'i*

Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter

62
305

48
4

3.81
18.28
16.09

0

11.66

137.10

8.15

.05

14.79

42.94

36.58

.06

10.23

40.93

12.12

.05

Large lakes
Small lakes

63
356

8.53
30.25

38.45
14.547

41.87
56.49

7.46
65.82

^Number of stomachs containing organisms in the four catego-

- 27 -

Table 8. Lakes in Montana with golden trout hybrids

Lake

Hybrid

Mountain Range

Lake of the Isle

Twin Outlets

Big Park

Lake at Falls

Duggan

Rainbow

Rimrock

Barrier

Bill

Mini

Cimmerian

Lake Surrender

Raven

Dreary

Lake Pinchot

Blue Paradise

Cataract

Gt X Ct X Rb

Gt X Ct

Gt X Ct

Gt X Ct

Gt X Ct

Gt X Rb

Gt X Rb

Gt X Rb

Gt X Rb X Ct

Gt X Rb X Ct

Gt X Rb X Ct

Gt X Rb X Ct

Gt X Rb X Ct

Gt X Rb X Ct

Gt X Rb

Gt X Rb

Gt X Rb

Anaconda-Pint la r

Beartooth

Beartooth

Beartooth

Beartooth

Beartooth

Beartooth

Beartooth

Beartooth

Beartooth

Beartooth

Beartooth

Beartooth

Beartooth

Beartooth

Madison

Madison

- 28

Fish Health (Jim Peterson, pers. conun.)

No unusual incidences of physical abnormalities were
observed among golden trout in Montana. All were free of visible
signs of disease symptoms. No viral pathogens were isolated;
however, T.S.A. cultures revealed a general prevalence (six of
nine populations of Yersinia cucKeri, serotype 2. Samples from
Sylvan Lake were found to contain Y^ cucketif both serotypes 1
and 2. No type 1 was isolated from the other populations
sampled, and no Y^ lilcJifiil of either serotype was found in
samples from Fourmile Basin #4, Blue Danube or Lower Lightning
Lake (Table 9). Y^ ruckeri is the bacterial pathogen that causes
Enteric Redmouth (ERM) , a disease which often results in heavy
mortality, especially when introduced into a crowded situation
such as a fish hatchery. It is important to remember that ERM
was not observed in these fish, but the causative organism
(Y. ruckeri) was, and so the potential for disease exists.
Y^ ruckeri serotype 2 is much less pathogenic to trout than
serotype 1 and "...probably pose no more threat than many genera
of ubiquitous bacteria in the aquatic environment..." (Janeke,
pers . comm. ) .

The first samples of 18 goldens from Sylvan Lake were live-
captured in gill nets, held from 5 to 48 hours in crowded live-
cars and artificially spawned. Fifteen of 18 samples were found
to contain Y^ ruckeri (serotypes 1 from 3 fish, serotype 2 from
11 fish, and serotypes 1 and 2 from 1 fish). A second sample 63
days later found Y^ ruckeri in 10 of 30 fish sampled (nine sero-
type 2, one serotype 1). These goldens were stressed by gillnet-
ting, but not to the degree of the first sample.

The health samples collected from spawning goldens at the
time eggs were collected in 1981 were routine. No evidence of a
pathogen was apparent and there was no reason to suspect that Y_^
ruckeri was present. Another precaution taken at that time was
to water-harden all eggs collected in a 3 mg/L solution of ery-
thromycin (Abbot Labs). Erythromycin is commonly used in Montana
when collecting eggs from wild sources to help eliminate the
possible spread of bacterial fish pathogens. Y^ ruckeri is
transmitted fish to fish via the water and there is no conclusive
proof of egg transmissions (Klontz et al. 1976). However,
because this precaution was taken, we are hopeful that any possi-
bility of transmission of this pathogen from Sylvan Lake was
interrupted. Eggs collected in 1980 for Cave Lake were also
water hardened in erythromycin and the fish were found negative
for Y^ ruckeri.

The eggs collected at Sylvan Lake in 1981 were hatched and
reared at the Washoe Park Trout Hatchery at Anaconda. These
goldens suffered from parasitic infections of Hexamitar Cost3.a
and Cyrodactvlus incurred from the hatchery water supply. Some
mortality was experienced, but treatment for the parasites con-
trolled the situation. These fish were sampled for Y^. i:uckei:i
when they were 2,100/pound and again when 150/pound. No Y_..
ruckeri was found.

- 29 -

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- 30 -

Otlier states have tried rearing golden trout under hatchery
conditions. Atteirpts to hold brood stocks at Mount Whitney Fish
Hatchery in California were abandoned, due to a high incidence of
furnunculosis and columnaris (Toth, pers. comm.). A brood stock
at VJyoming's Story Fish Hatchery had excessive mortality, due to
intestinal flukes (Mitchum and Moore 1969). Fish reared in slow-
growth, cold-water hatcheries have been less susceptible to harm-
ful infections.

Genetics (Phelps 1982)

The purpose of the genetic investigation was to determine
the amount and type of genetic variation that occurs in Montana
golden trout, identify any evidence of introgression from other
Salmo species, and determine if the observed morphological
differences had a genetic basis. Findings concluded that golden
trout in Montana had less genetic variation than other Salmo
species and golden trout populations from California. No
evidence of introgression from other Salmo was detected in any of
the nine golden trout populations. There was a statistically
significant gene frequency difference between golden trout popu-
lations started from sources in Montana and the Surprise Lake,
Wyoming source at the only variable locus in these fish.

Tlie amount of genetic variation found in these golden trout
populations in Montana held a low average heterozygosity of
0.005. The variation was about one-third of that found in Cali-
fornia's golden trout populations. Golden trout stocks from
Cottonwood lakes has less genetic variation than the original
golden trout stocks in California (Kornblatt 1973; Smith 1981).
Very few adults were probably used to start the original popula-
tion in the Cottonwood Lake system.. However, the amount of
genetic variation varied substantially between the different
Cottonwood lakes, and gene frequencies of variable loci may have
greatly changed since the golden trout were brought to Montana.
Genetic variation apparently has been lost since golden trout
were brought to Montana. Genetic variation present at Idh-3,4 in
all the Cottonwood Lake samples did not occur in any of the
golden trout samples from Montana.

There was no indication of hybridization with other Salmo
species. No alleles characteristic of Yellowstone cutthroat
trout (Salmo clarki bouveri) or westslope cutthroat trout SallTiQ
clarki lewisi) were observed in the samples. There were no
electrophoretically detectable alleles present in golden trout
that distinguished them from rainbow trout. This also had been
found in other studies (Allendorf and Utter 1979; Gall et al.
1976; Gold 1981; Kornblatt 1973; Smith 1981). Even though there
were no diagnostic loci betv;een golden and rainbow trout, the
type and amount of genetic variation present was an indication of
v/hether there had been any past rainbow trout introgression.

Genetic variation found in golden trout in Montana was one-
tenth of that commonly found in rciinbow trout populations. Many

- 31 -

of the commonly variable isozyme loci found in rainbow trout
strains, i.e., Idh-3,4; Mdh-3,4; Pam-2, were not present in these
Montana golden trout populations. It is unlikely that this low
amount of genetic variation would be present if there had been
introgression from rainbow trout.

Genetic variation occurred at only a single locus, Sod-1
(Table 10). The variation consisted of a fast migrating allele,
Sod-l(152). This variation is common in both rainbow trout
(Allendorf and Utter 1979) and golden trout (Gall et al. 1976).
Aat-3,4 appeared to be variable, but inadequate resolution and
lack of inheritance data prevented a confirmation of the genetic
basis. There were statistically significant differences at Sod-1
between the golden trout populations started from the Surprise
Lake, Wyoming source and those sources from Montana: P <.01, =
10.9, Idf. The golden trout populations started from the Sur-
prise Lake stock had a low occurrence of the variant allele.

DISCUSSION

Present Status

Of the 14 lake systems in Montana with golden trout in 1981,
only Lightning, Sylvan, Sawtooth, Island, Hidden #5, 6 and 7 and
Golden Trout lakes appear relatively secure. Among these six
populations, Lightning, Sylvan and Island had the greatest safe-
guards, due to their locations within a wilderness area. The
Hidden lakes and Golden Trout Lake were becoming increasingly
close to large timber sales. Both lake systems are influenced by
easy, close access and show deteriorating shorelines and water
quality. Sawtooth Lake also bordered considerable commercial-
sized timber. No logging was apparent in Sawtooth basin or along
Clarks Creek, its immediate drainage. Clear-cuts and roading
v/ere, however, common in the Pioneer Mountains.

The status of Cave, Shrimp and Duck lakes had not been
adequately confirmed, nor had the populations been around long
enough to test sustainability. Blue Danube had historic longev-
ity and produced good yield to previous experimental netting.
Its present low population status may rally; however, its future
looks bleak.

Heart and Crescent lakes in the Mission Mountains will
probably continue to produce erratic population densities, due in
part to their reliance on recruitment from Island Lake upstream.
Sylvan Lake endures; its only threat would be an unauthorized
transplant of brook trout from nearby Crow Lake or an aerial
stocking error.

Ranking of Lakes

A ranking of golden trout habitats (Table 11) lists Light-
ning lake best in Montana. Its fisheries status excels others
because of its size, outlet condition, flow and nursery area 200

- 32 -

Table 10. Genetic variation at Sod-1 in Montana golden trout
populat ions-*-

No.

Genotype
of Occurrences

Frequency
of the

Lake

100/100

100/152

152/152

100 Allele

Lightning

21

7

2

0.82

Sylvan

10

9

0

0.76

Golden Trout

17

1

2

0.88

Blue Danube

0

1

0

0.50*

Hidden #5

7

0

0

1.00

Total

55

18

4

0.83

Sawtooth

29

1

0

0.98

Island

28

2

0

0.97

Fourmile Basin #4 2

0

0

1.00^

Hidden #2

11

0

0

1.00

Total

70

3

0

0.98

^From Phelps, 1982.

*Gene frequency estimates from a small number of samples may
not be accurate.

- 33 -

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- 35 -

yards downstream in Little Lightning Lake. Other high marks
result from its difficult access. Even so, the lake's notoriety
is spreading, accompanied by abuses that accompany fame.

Sylvan Lake is easily ranked second, followed by Sawtooth
and Island lakes. Fourmile Basin Lake #4 has the best oppor-
tunity for habitat improvement and could be a viable fishery.

Angling

Golden trout are not known for catchability; however, at
times they can be very vulnerable. Golden trout are much more
visible and easily enticed to the bait in the shallower lake
systems. Special regulations were imposed on the Cottonwood
lakes, California in 1938, and fishing was closed in 1957 at
Surprise Lake, Wyoming to maintain adequate densities. The only
special regulations on a golden trout fishery in Montana were an
August opening date for Lightning Lake to protect spawners in the
outlet. The real need for this protective measure preceded
wilderness classification when it was a common practice to fly
nearby miners into Lightning Lake by helicopter.

Angler harvest of golden trout is best at and immediately
following ice-out. Catchability becomes difficult in larger
waters as fish begin feeding on larger benthic forms. Lakes such
as Sylvan, Sawtooth, Hidden and Golden Trout produce catches
during summer months, but to a lesser degree than would occur if
the lakes were stocked with cutthroat, rainbow or brook trout.
An outfitter reported an estimate of 150 fishermen per year use
Sawtooth; most catch only a few fish if any (Bob NcNiel, pers.,
comm. ) .

Several waters with golden trout hybrids were excellent
fisheries, producing a more catchable, highly colored fish. In
some areas, e.g., Flood Creek drainage in the Beartooths, these
hybrid golden x cutthroat x rainbow usually exceed sizes typical
of pure strain golden trout. Requests for information on golden
trout waters from fishermen are common to this investigator.
Many back-country enthusiasts seek out golden trout for a rare
angling experience.

Management Recommendations

The discovery that golden trout occupy so few waters in
Montana and even fewer good, stable environments, makes it easy
to recommend dispersement to additional waters. Because of the
total absence of populations in streams, I recommend at least a
couple of habitats be searched out for this purpose. I do not
contend any great emphasis should be geared to goldens as a
management species. Managers have an opportunity to protect,
enhance and secure the golden's future in Montana. California
has the obligation to secure the fishes' welfare. We in Montana
can assist by taking progeny of our best original stocks and
expanding their range.

- 36 -

4,000

fish

1,000

4,000

1,000

each

1,500

1,500

Waters stocked in 1980 through 1983 require evaluation over
the next few years to determine the success of those plants and
the degree of self-sufficiency (Table C). Highest priority was
given to systems that exhibit physical and biological character-
istics comparable to the best existing golden trout habitats.
The Desolation-Big Butte to Jorden Lake chain involves a six
lake-stream system and has characteristics favorable to develop-
ment of the best golden trout habitat in the State of Montana.
The second best opportunity for a stream-lake ecosystem is the
West Fishtail Creek drainage of the Beartooths.

All future proposals should consider impacts of golden trout
introductions to downstream environments; generally speaking
these should be minimal. I would also suggest a search of poten-
tial habitats in western Montana for improved geographic distri-
bution. In 1984, the following golden trout plants are recom-
mended:

Blue Danube Lake

Hidden Lake #1

Hidden Lake #2

Hidden lakes #3, 4 and 8

Picasso Lake

Incisor Lake

Since it was apparent that many of the existing golden trout
habitats were degraded physically, esthetically and biologically,
some action is recommended. All existing golden trout habitats
have been fisheries for years, and their historic value should be
retained if at all possible.

I recommend upgrading golden trout status in the Fourmile
Basin lakes #3 and 4. Lake #5 appeared to have little potential
for a sustaining population. Fourmile Basin #4 has been a golden
trout fishery since 1960; it was restocked in 1977. Its present
low density can be attributed to the deteriorated nature of the
exit of the outlet from the lake. A simple debris removal may
mend the problem. It is assumed that adult spawners can return
to the lake during suitable flows in the spring. Juveniles
trapped in 150 feet of outlet fail to augment the lake's popula-
tion.

I recommend extermination of brook trout in Fourmile Basin
Lake #3 and the small, wide waters downstream. Treatment could
be effective during March when access by snowmobiles could trans-
port chemicals. Smaller amounts of chemicals are required during
low oxygen levels. Recruitment from Fourmile #4 would appropri-
ately restock Fourmile #3 slowly, allowing both food resources
and golden trout establishment. Tr the absence of competition
from brook trout, self-sufficiency should occur.

Both shorelines shov/ed considerable abuse. I recommend a
general cleanup, restrictions to camping near the shoreline and a
restriction of vehicles to a distance uninf luencial to Fourmile

- 37 -

Basin Lake #3. An evaluation of Duck and Shrimp lakes should be
undertaken. Three and 4-year-old parent stock introduced in 1977
should have had offspring of catchable size by 1982; the self-
sustaining aspect looks bleak, however.

Angler dissatisfaction with the low-density fishery in Blue
Danube Lake is justified. Ironically, Blue Danube supported a
thriving population for years. No sign of activity leading to
population failure was evident. Inadequate freshet flows neces-
sary for cleansing substrate gravels in the outlet may be part of
the problem. The existing stock has considerable historic
longevity. I recommend a more detailed look at the physical
habitat, food resources and population status.

Golden Trout Lake needs measures to improve the deteri-
orating shoreline. Camping areas have denuded large areas of
vegetation and appear in part responsible for eutrophic water
conditions. Camping and horse use should be discontinued near
the outlet stream. The value of this historic fishery should be
rated as high or higher as the associated values of the encroach-
ing logging.

The same is true for Hidden Lake; reading and logging may
cause the demise of the historic golden trout population. Since
the upper lakes have been restocked with fish from Surprise Lake
and have no obvious influences on Hidden lakes $5, 6 and 7, I
recommend restocking lakes #1, 2, 3, 4 and 8 with either Surprise
or Sylvan stock.

If goldens in Cave Lake fail to become self-sufficient, I
recommend letting the lake return to a barren status. The
remaining lakes in the state appear secure and/or have protective
status of wilderness. I recommend these lakes be protected from
introduction of other species and managers be aware of their
importance and uniqueness in the State of Montana.

- 38 -

LITERATURE CITED

Allendorf, F. W. and F. M. Utter. 1979. Population genetics.
Pages 407-454, In: Fish Physiology, Vol. 8, W. S. Hoar, D.
J. Randall and J. R. Brett (ed.), Acad. Press, New York.

Brown, C. J. D. 1971. Fishes of Montana. Big Sky Books, Boze-
man. Mont. , p. 52.

Curtis, B. 1934. The golden trout of Cottonwood lakes (Salmo
aqua-bonita Jordan). Trans. Am. Fish. Soc, Vol. 64, pp.
259-265.

Ellis, S. L. N. and H. C. Bryant. 1920. Distribution of golden
trout in California. Calif. Fish and Game, 6(4), pp. 141-
149.

Evermann, B. W. 1905. The golden trout of the southern High
Sierras. Bull, of Bur. of Fish., Vol. XXV, pp. 1-51.

Gall, G. A. E., C. A. Busack, R. C. Smith, J. R. Gold and B. J.
Kornblatt. 1976. Biochemical genetic variation in popula-
tions of golden trout, S^JLniQ aguabonita. J. of Heredity
67:330-335.

Gold, J. R. and G. A. E. Gall. 1980. Systematics of golden
Salmo aguabonita from the Sierra Nevada. Calif. Fish and
Game 67(4) :204-230.

Henshaw, H. W. 1875. Proceedings of the National Museum. No.
17107, p. 195.

Jordan, D. S. 1892. A description of the golden trout of Kern
River. Proc. of the Nat. Museum, Vol. XV, No. 916, pp. 481-
483.

Jordan, D. C. and H. W. Henshaw. 1878. Proceedings of the
National Museum, 92(31).

Klontz, G. W., M. P. Dulin, T. Huddleston, R. E. Larson. 1976.
Enteric Redmouth Disease. Bull. No. 8, Coll. of For.,
Wildl. and Range Sci., Univ. of Idaho.

Kornblatt, B. J. 1973. The genetic structure of six High Sierra
golden trout (Salmo aguabonita) populations. Unpubl. M.S.
thesis, Univ. of Calif., Davis.

McAfee, W. R. 1966. Golden Trout. In: Inland fisheries manage-
ment. State of Calif., Dept. of Fish and Game, pp. 216-221.

McCloud, G. 1943. Golden trout propagation in California.
Calif. Fish and Game, 29(4), 191-195.

Marcuson, P. 1973. Western Montana Fisheries Study. D-J Prog.
Rept. F-12-R-18, Job I-a, 26 pp.

- 39 -

Marcuson, P. 1981. Crazy Mountain Lake Report. D-J Prog.
Kept. F-20-R-25, Job I-a, 33 pp.

. 1980a. Fisheries management plan for mountain

lakes in the Clarks Fork River drainage. D-J Prog. Rept.
F-20-R-24, Job I-a, 51 pp.

. 1980b. Fisheries management plan for mountain

lakes in the Stillwater River drainage. D-J Prog. Rept.
F-20-R-24, Job I-a, 25 pp.

1980c. A fish-shaped sunbeam. Mont. Outdoors,

July/August, Vol. 11, No 5, 14 pp.
. 1976. Wilderness area fisheries. Trans. Am,

Fish. Spec. Publ. Manage, of Wilder. Area Waters, 23 pp.

Mitchum, D. L. and T. D. Moore. 1969. Efficacy of Di-N-Butyl
tin oxide on an intestinal fluke, Crepidostomum farionis, in
golden trout. Prog. Fish. Cult., 31(3), pp. 143-148.

Phelps, S. 1982. Genetic analysis of Montana golden trout popu-
lations. Unpubl. Rept. No. 82/2, 8 pp

Pister, E. P. 1964. Cottonwood lakes, California's "gold" mine.
Outdoor Calif., 25(5), May 7-9.

Schrech, C. and R. Behnke. 1971. Trouts of the upper Kern River
Basin, California, with reference to systematics and evolu-
tion of western North American Salmo. J. Fish. Res. Bd. of
Canada, 28(7), pp. 987-998.

Smith, R. C. 1981. Biochemical-genetic and meristic analysis of
populations of Little Kern River Basin golden trout.
Unpubl. Ph.D. diss., Univ. of Calif., Davis.

Utter, F. M., H. 0. Hodgins and F. W. Allendorf. 1974. Biochem-
ical genetic studies of fishes: potentialities and limita-
tions. Pages 213-238, In: Biochemical and biophysical per-
spectives in Main biology. Vol. 1, Acad. Press, New York.

Vore, F. H. 1928. Planting golden trout in barren waters of
California. Calif. Dept. of Fish and Game, 14 pp.

Welch, P. S. 1948. Limnological methods. McGraw-Hill Book Com-
pany, Inc. , 381 pp.

Whitney, A. and R. Domrose. 1964. Western Montana fisheries
study. D-J Prog. Rept. F-12-R-9, Job I, 14 pp.

Wipperman, A. 1964. Southwest Montana Fisheries study. D-J
Prog. Rept. F-9-R-12, Job I, 16 pp.

- 40 -

Waters referred to:

Name

Statg Water Code

Arrowhead Lake

5-22-7174

Asteroid Lake

5-22-7187

Barrier Lake

5-22-7220

Big Butte Lake

5-22-7249

Big Park Lake

5-22-7252

Bill Lake

5-22-7266

Blue Danube Lake

3-13-6960

Blue Paradise

3-13-7020

Cairn Lake

5-22-7392

Cataract Lake

3-13-7180

Cave Lake

5-22-7449

Cimmerian Lake

5-22-7456

Cottonwood Lake #3

California

Cottonwood Lake #4

California

Crescent Lake

1-07-5880

Dewey Lake

5-22-7686

Desolation lakes

5-22-7677

Dreary Lake

5-22-7696

Dryad Lake

5-22-7698

Duck Lake

2-06-7680

Duckhead Lake

1-05-8736

Duggan Lake

5-22-7697

Emerald Lake

3-09-7980

Falls Creek Lake

5-22-8225

Fourmile Basin Lake #3

2-06-7866

Fourmile Basin Lake #4

2-06-7867

Fourmile Basin Lake #5

2-06-7868

Flood Creek lakes (6)

Golden Lake
Golden Trout Lake
Heart Lake
Herrig Lake
Hidden Lake #1
Hidden Lake #2
Hidden Lake #3
Hidden Lake #4
Hidden Lake #5
Hidden Lake #6
Hidden Lake #7
Hidden Lake #8
Imagine Lake
Island Lake
Jasper Lake
Jim lakes
Jock Lake

A series of 18 lakes including
Bill, Mini, Asteroid, Pinchot,
Dreary, Cimmerian, Surrender,
Raven and Dryad - all listed
here individually

5-22-
3-09-
1-07-
1-07-
3-09-
3-09-
3-09-
3-09-
3-09-
3-09-
3-09-
3-09-
1-05-
1-07-
5-22-
1-07-
4-20-

■7987
■8094
•6660
•6700
8398
8399
8400
8401
8402
8403
8404
8405
9040
6880
8180
6960
8150

- 41 -

Waters referred to: (cont.)

Name

State Water Code

Kaufman (Falls Creek Lake) 5-22-8225

Lake at Falls 5-22-8330

Lake of the Isle 2-06-8256

Lake of the Winds 5-22-8344

Lake Pinchot 5-22-8890

Lake Surrender 5-22-8350

Lava Lake 3-09-8588

Lightning Lake 5-22-8372
Little Lake Creek lakes (2) 3-02-8425

Little Lake 2-06-8417

Little Lightning Lake 5-22-8372

Little Scat Lake 5-22-9097

Louise Lake (Mary Lou) 3-10-9000

Lower Dutchman Lake 3-13-7890

Lower Sky Lake 1-11-9088

Medicine Lake 5-22-8638

McKnight Lake 5-22-8612

Mini Lake 5-22-8672

Rainbow Lake 5-22-8960

Raven Lake 5-22-8972

Renshaw Lake 4-20-8000

Rhoda Lake 4-16-7920

Rimrock Lake 5-22-9002

Rock Tree Lake 5-22-9033

Sawtooth Lake 3-01-9460

Sears Lake 2-03-8925

Shrimp Lake 2-06-9180

Smith Lake Rearing Pond 1-07-8740

Snowbank Lake (Fossil) 5-22-9305

Sylvan Lake 5-22-9394

Twin Outlets Lake 5-22-9528

Upper Dutchman Lake 3-13-8860

Upper McKnight Lake 5-22-8612

Upper Sky Lake 1-11-9908

West Boulder lakes 5-22-9730

West Fishtail Creek lakes 5-22-9735

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