Newspapers / The Waynesville Mountaineer (Waynesville, … / May 2, 1949, edition 1 / Page 7
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THE WAYNESVILLE MOUNTAINEER (Second Section) 1949 U Hatchery Is Home Of Half Million Trout So Thick They Turn The Water Black Never Miss Them This Way Weighing Out Trout For Shipping h was made by Miller Ingram of trout under waler in one of the rear , . u .... Th. trout are just beginning to c!arl out of sight of the camera Ira w"'- I fc,c u.. mHi a,. When .someone aHH,"e"-,"- " ...(, .. nun uuun um. ok A Monnlainee er photograph by Ingram's Studio. neral View Of The Trout Hatchery I . . , " ho main buildings of the Bal sam Trout Hatchery shows how clean every pt. Some of the sheltered pools can be seen between the houses, while the it seen below the lower hatchery house. This is on Highway aDoui d A Mountaineer photograph by Ingram's Studio. thing edge miles I RUNS Picks Wrong Judge UPi - CHICAGO (U P.) Bernard Fog- felleves he el went to the wrong judge for an West watch o. K. to reduce his alimony pay- in London I ments. The judge had Fogel's case wining. He at hand. He sentenced Fogel to the :ottish-born county jail after finding that his I alimony was short $230. BIBLES HIS HOBBY MORGANTOWN, W. Va.CU.P.) Former Navy Chaplain Joseph Gluck as a hobby has collected 75 different versions of the Bible. His collection also includes nine dif ferent commentaries, with the old est volume dating to 1774. R NOTE OF PROGRESS It is encouraging to note that the poultry in dustry in Haywood is pushing forward at a rapid rate. Haywood is an ideal place to profitably raise poultry, for both broilers and eggs. There will always be a demand for chickens and eggs, and since we are near many large markets, the ship P'ng is of minor concern. This bank is interested in the development of a larger poultry industry. We will be glad to dis cuss it with you. THE Wan Corporation ORGANIZED 1002 Member Fedeivl Reserve System Streams Of Ten Counties Stocked From Hatchery (Continue ' trom Pace 1) for mountain streams since 1924. Today, under the new program of the Wildlife Resources Commis sion, of which Clyde P. Patton is executive director, the program is increasing in importance and mag nitude. As more people turn to fishing for recreation, the demand for it stocking streams also increases. The old saying that "good times are hard on fish" is running true in North Carolina, where more and more fishermen are taking up rod and reel daily. The hatchery Is operated on funds paid by fishermen for license, no tax money is used. As fishing in creases, the number of fish pro duced for the streams is also in creased. The program under Mr. Patton is meeting with approval. and sportsmen are cooperative, and like the idea of having ttieir in terest taken care of bv reDlacine caught fish. The Hatchery at Balsam get most of their eees from commercial hatcheries in Pennsylvania and New England states. The eggs are hatched in special troughs in the main hatchery house. A constant stream of 50-degree water from nearbv mountain springs furnish the water for the hatching troughs. It takes 38 days to hatch rainbow trout, and 50 days to hatch brook trout. The little fish are kept inside the hatchery and fed 4 times daily. When about on inch long, the fish are transferred into outdoor pools. There are two types of pools oblong and round. There are 19 of the oblong ones, and 7 of the round. The round ones are sixty feet in diameter, and range from 5 to 8 feet deep. The Hatchery has two water sup plies, one is the mountain springs which furnish water at 50 degrees in winter and 51 degrees in sum mer. The other source is Win chester Creek. The water is piped for a mile and three quarters through a special 6-inch pipe. This line was installed as a WPA pro ject back in the late thirties. It takes thousands of gallons per day to supply the 26 pools containing the thousands upon thousands of fish; " " After the fish get up several inches in length, they are constant ly changed from pool to pool, and gfladed for size. They are kept at the hatchery for one year, and then carefully weighed, counted, and distributed to the many trout streams in the area. Accurate re cords are kept on the production of the hatchery, and exact number of fish in any pool at any given time is easily determined. When the fish are fed, the water literally turns black as the trout come to the surface for food. The small fish are fed ground meat, while the larger ones get prepared fish food, bought in large cans V p)fj!K j lift The Balsam Trout Hatchery deals in trout in the half million lots, hence this dip net for mass hauling of the fish. When they are transferred from rearing pool to pool this method is used. They kick a lot about being disturbed, but sellle down in a moment. A Mountaineer photograph by Ingram's Studio. the ' largest single item of opera tional costs of the Hatchery. "The more we feed the fish, the faster they grow, and larger they are when put into the streams," Mr. Reiger explained. A plan has been inaugurated whereby the Hatchery will sell fish for restocking private lakes and streams. This method is followed when there is a surplus of fish. The money received from the sale of such fish is used to buy food. The Hatchery is doing something which Mother Nature cannot do. it was learned. Only about 2 out of every 100 trout hatched in streams live to be a year old. The Hatchery, through scientific meth ods, are able to raise 90 out of every 100 hatched to the 8-inch size. Mr. Reiger does not subscribe to the theory that trout are color blind. He explains, "I feel they can distinguish colors from an early age." When asked about the activity of trout at night, he pointed out, "Trout are active at all times. They do quiet down some at night, but this is only slight." Mr Reiger has been associated with the Hatchery here since it was built in 1924. His father, Frank J. Reiger, was superinten dent until 1935, when he resigned to take a government job. Leo Reiger was then named superin tendent, and has been on the job ever since. And speaking of being on the job "this matter of keeping up with half a million fish is worse than being in the dairy business, as far as confinement is concern- trout, and knows his other fish, too. Besides being superintendent of the Balsam Hatchery, he overseas the Arrowood Glades Hatchery in Macon County. The hatchery there takes fish after an inch or so long, and keep them until ready for the streams. There are about 15 rear ing pools in the station. Mr. Reiger is assisted in the operation of the Hatchery by Rob ert Gillett, William Harrison and Eugene Smathers. Visitors are always welcome. Ask as many questions as you like. Just remember, when iou go trout fishing and come back with an empty creel, don't blame the ' jj I This photograph shows Mr. Reiger carefully weighing a lot of trout preparing to take them to one of the many trout streams in leu counties of Western North Carolina. Each lot is carefully weighed and counted. An accurate check is kept of all trout at all tunc;. A Mountaineer I'holugraph by Ingram's Studio. Wildlife Resources Commission or the Balsam Hatchery both are do ing their part to gel trout in the streams for you. The 2,200 pound stainless si eel backstop at Briggs Stadium. le troit, is designed to hold 7,'U0 pounds of snow and ice. One feeding daily is all that the 1 ed," he said. larger trout get. Mr. Reiger com pared them with a pig they will eat just as long as you pour it to them he commented. There is one special pool at the Hatchery that attracts more atten tion than any oher. It is the pool with the large fish. They ae used for eggs, and more especially for showing visitors to just what size trout can grow. Some of the larger ones in the pool are 24 or more inches in length. The number of visitors to the hatchery is steadily increasing. The cost of food for the fish is One would think that alter work ing with a half million cares day in and day out that the last thing one would want to hear about on days off would be fish. But not Mr. Reiger. He and Mrs. Reiger take to Glenville Lake, get into their boat, and ride" and fish then fish and ride. For their annual vacation they really have a time they go to Canada and fish. The only fish they ever eat is what they catch the hard way "it is no fun pick ing them out of a pool." he said. Mr. Reiger is an authority on Rogers Electric Co. Offers You IE A COMPLETE SELECTION OF LAFF-A-DAY n D ' T& W ' Zi, JT m on, , ( " m. in t r.& hm ' vv.v.v.v.v.v T" m Only A Few More Days Until All Streams Will Be Open . . . and we're ready for you fishinu enthusiasts with a new supply of all the equipment you'll need to hook the wise old fish. Check your rods, reels, lines, leaders, tackle boxes, nets, and all your other needs. We have them all. And' of a quality to increase your fishing pleasure. 7 1-2, 8 1-2 & 9 ft. Bamboo FLY RODS Lines, Leaders Hooks Reels NETS TACKLE BOXES ttft. 11. Kmt Fnxra Syaim Inr. wU rfjf mml.. 'fThey're fightio? ovr a woman me',' a i S 'r:'l I 1 WE HAVE THE FINEST SELECTION OF HAND TIED TROUT FLIES EVER OFFERED FOR SALE IN WAYNESVILLE. WE HAVE A COMPLETE STOCK OF CASTING RODS AND PLUGS If you're not quite sure what you need, why not come down and look around. We'll be glad to help you se'lect the proper equipment so that you can get the most from your fishing. ROGERS ELECTRIC CO. Phone 461 Main Street
The Waynesville Mountaineer (Waynesville, N.C.)
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May 2, 1949, edition 1
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