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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 1960)
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1- I960 8 t MEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE. MEDFORD. OREGON The Rogue River Fisheries Four D ." 1 i -i mail rjri 4 ;!IUG tsrz0 f i ' f 4' " s&r yg&r 4E U Resident Rainbow Are Native Trout To This Region Editor's note: This Is the fifth in a series of articles by Cjole M. Rivers, fisheries agent, Oregon State game commission, on the Rogue river fishery and its man agement. (The series are presented at this time as surveys of the Rogue basin looking to a water control program are nearing completion, and to aid in understanding the Rogue, its fish lifo and pro posed dams on the river and its tributaries. (Today's article is a gen eral description of the var ious kinds of trout which are found in the Rogue basin, their identifying features, range and use.) By COLE M. RIVERS Fisheries Agent Slate Game Commission The species of Irout in the Bogutwalershed are rainbow, cunhroat, eastern brook, and German brown. Rainbow are present in two forms, resident rainbow and the steelliead, ils migratory cousin. Cutthroat are here in three forms, name ly the resident coastal cut throat, the migratory coAslal cutthroat, and the Montana black-spotted cutthroat. Rainbow Resident rainbow are the original native trout of this area. They are abundant in all headwater portions of riv ers and creeks and down the main stem of the upper Rogue. The upper reaches of migra tory steelliead overlap the downstream ranges of resi dent rainbow. When resident trout are found at points low er in the basin, they have either been planted from the hatchery or are occasional drifters from above. There is evidence that the farther downstream into migratory range resident rainbow drift, the more likely they will pick up the migratory habit of steelliead and move out to sea. Rainbow (rout have a com paratively small head and I mouth, small round spots high on the sides, back and fins. Sometimes there is a red stripe on each side. The maxillary (the bone on the upper Hp of the mouth, ex tends back to a position be low the middle of the eye. These fish are the most abundant trout in the Rogue basin. For fishery manage ment, they are the best trout for reproduction, survival, growth, and general hatchery use. They exceed all other trout In return to the angler's creel. Cutthroat Cutthroat trout also have profuse small spotting and arc most easily distinguished by a comparatively large mouth with a long maxillary that extends to a position be low and behind the eyes. The red dash on the bottom of the lower jaw is sometimes a yel lowish color. On some speci mens, the dash is difficult to see at all. Resident coastal cutthroat are found In headwater por tions of tributaries located at higher elevations and arc also the original native trout of the Pacific coast. Because they prefer residence in small streams, they rarely grow to a large size. Cutthroat trout like heavy shade and tfeep holes with overhanging banks. Small dark trout found in headwater tributaries in the back country arc often called "native trout." These are not a different species of trout. Some are resident cutthroats, but most are resident rain bow. The dark coloration, fat body, and small size of these fish result from adaption to a small stream with heavy shade and cover and slow rate of growth in cold moun tain water. Not much is known about the true habits of the migra tory coastal cutthroat In the Rogue. These cutthroat come into the river from the sea in late spring or early summer and move up the main chan nel of the Rogue, sometimes up as far as McLcod. Fresh- run fish are difficult to find until November and Decem ber when they show up again ready to go up tributaries of their choice to spawn. Montana black-spotted cut throat are found at Squaw lakes. They were Introduced in the early 20s. After many generations of cross-breeding with the native form of the coastal cutthroat, only a few of their original characteris tics remain.. Eastern Brook Eastern brook trout arei Civil War Parlay arits on seeping was MUM. ern agression and of Q'min ern rights" the "cold fact ' was that secessionist states were "protesting against the loss of status." However, the historian said the nation was helpless to prevent the conflict because behind the forces which pre cipitated the var was the "emerging modern world and its differing effects on a com- mon people." 1 tins was the culprit which had pushed the sections apart, given them conflicting BOILING WATER -l Legal-sized rainbow trout make the waler boil in a pond at the i:Uo Falls hatchery as they are being fed by Hank Tygart, a hatchery employee. found in drainage systems of the North and South Fork Rogue and in tributaries heading high in the Cascades. They are not native to the areS but were introduced by the U.S. bureau of fisheries and the forest service many years ago. The fish that re main replenish their own num bers by natural propagation and are doing well in cold waler areas where the habitat is Ideal for them. The eastern brook i.s a charr, not a true trout. These fish prefer the use of spring outlets for laying eggs and do not require running stream water that true trout must have. Brook trout can he recognized by a mottled pat tern on the back, white edges on the fins, and red spots without a halo on the sides and body. Most of the lakes in the Cascades chain between Cra ter and Fourmile lakes arc stocked annually with eastern brook by the game commis sion. They have been planted j again into Fish lake In Jack son county. Bolnn and Tan non lakes In the Siskiyous are i stocked regularly with them Gorman Brown ft i The German brown (often called Lock Leven) Is another trout that has been intro duced. These fish were re leased Into the North Fork of the Rogue many years ago. Populations have never grown to a high level, hut some are taken each year by early season anglers fishing In deep holes between Prospect and Union Creek. It Is generally agreed that German browns are the smart est of all the trout. Because of extreme wariness brown trout are difficult to catch and are not fish the average or novice angler can enjoy. German browns are true trout. Dusky or muddy color ation, small red spots with a white halo on the sides along with large bkfck spots are distinguishing characteristics. These fish are considered the most hearty of the trout, and if the habitat is Ideal, they will thrive, lake over and crowd out olhfr fishes. Numerous requests have been received to establish brown trout in the middle section of the Rogue to fur nish more trout fishing In the summer months. As mentioned before, I f they became established, the browns would provide, little fishing for the average or no vice fisherman. Many would escape even the expert fly fisherman because with heavy fishing pressure they are known to become tacklcwisc and grow to a large size and old age. Authorities on G e r m a n brown trout in the United States and in Germany, be lieve the Rogue is too warm for these fish to exist In any numbers. If this were not true and the habitat in the main Rogue suitable, brown trout would have backed down from the North Fork be fore now and established I themselves throughout the Romie system. Although brown trout adults can normally with stand higher waler tempera tures than other trout, they require cold, spring - fed streams and tributaries . to spawn and reproduce youn. Brown trout are also tall spawners, a lime of year when waler temperatures in the Ifo;;ue are t'airlv high. Scouring, winter high waters could also limit survival. Brown trout are well known predators on small fishes, and there is much con cern over the decree oi prc dation that might occur on young salmon and steelliead if a few browns retused all anglers' lures and grew to a ripe old age. Many , hard lessons have been learned in the United States in ll. exotics are often found more harmful than good. The rule that has al most become a maxim is that Gettysburg, Pa. (l!PI--Vhe fourth annual Civil War con ference has closed with a warning that those who do not keep abreast of the times "are in danger of being run over." Avery Craven, nrofesor emeritus of history at the University of Chieagu, sa.d one of the Iesso.; of the war between tile states vas that the "ever present problem in government of securing a ju-.l balance between central ef ficiency and loca1, freedom cannot bo solved by force but only through understanding tolerance and slatesmanob.io ' Craven said although sla very was a symbol of "north- 1 v - iff y r". 1 r - 5 I j4 i. 1 A .- A. 4 i-t I I. ,0 1 ; Am - if o ' 0 LEGAL TROUT - A tub-full of legal-sized lease to streams in the Rogue basin. A total trout is loaded into a game commission ink- of 137.000 are stocked annuall-Q er truck at the Butte Falls hatchery for re- Burgler Alarm ; Is 'Robber Siller' j New York-IUPIl-A new bur-1 glar alarm designed for homes or small business firms oper-,, ates like an electronic robber ' "sitter" for a local police de-1 partmcnt. ' Installation of the system . by ils manufacturer, Tele-" tronic Securities Systerjs, ' Inc., involves wiring between . the protected place and police headquarters. - When the wired premise is .' forcibly entered, a sigi'M in- -audible to the burglar, is flashed to police. Officers can ; then turn on microphones to listen in on the robbery and switch on the lights when ' they move in to caplQ'e him. Signals, different from the robbery alarm, also notify po- . lice of fire or sprinkler dam age on the protected prem ises. The system also c:Q be , activated by the householder or businessman during day- -time hours. . !ri..-i.Ji'U,-. cult to produce the statesman ship capable of finding solu tions, Craven said. lie said future generations might learn from the civil war thai "when new sources of energy and Q-v spiritual values start building a new atfe, those who do not catch stride are in danger of being run over." Craven said the Civil War should be regarded as a "na-1 & tional tragedy, not as a ro-1 mantic museum piece; as I K something to regret and gam lb' a lesson from, not something j to glorify." 1 to the fish that will do best is :p the one that is native. 'e -: In many instances, irrepar-1 . able harm has resulted by the It introduction of a new f Kh j that is not native to the area. Q-; Not even the new fish or the j IQ natives do well in the same water together. Wow! Se SpeciS 8 (73 i5i Today Sesfron Celebrcdion s' Mas! TrsbircsgJ lM I: If A Look for 10 big pagss of exciting nevs and greaJ anniversary buys! Fres prizes, too! BIG YEAR 7$r LIFE BEGINS AT 40!" ftar - ESI me? BS3 Mi 1 1 , i f 7 iff' . . (k -: 7 mrtrnm,. M.,.,, AU-1rlXi. -.S . :-ZL..i. . ttttttt, iltfniltififo a r m ..i at . ra i y.iMi t. h-i '5 , ".1 i e im mi hm f.Mi m m ' K-fei I .1 ia rj s a Tho UNITED MEDFORD CRUSADE is so close to its goal ($147,050) that just ONE MORE LITTLE PUSH will do it! WILL YOU HELP? lmi3inc!-Only $10 from 500 people will insure that the UMC agencies needs are met. ei a b j j I'M help! In addition to my earlier pledge, I here with pledge $ Check Ono of Thcs2 Squares and MAIL TO: UNITED MEDFORD CRUSADE Box 5000, MEDFORD, OREGON I'll help! My pledge is $ to help put the UMC over. Courtesy . . . MEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE u a I'll help! (Details) Name ... Address 23
