Muscatine County, Iowa COMMUNITY NEWS

Source: Muscatine Journal Tuesday, December 30, 1952, page 23
Submitted by Lynn McCleary, July 28, 2020

THREE STATES GET FISH PROPAGATED IN FAIRPORT PONDS

Fishermen of three states next year will have reason to thank a federal institution in Muscatine county as they seek to lure their finny game from the waters of many scattered rivers, lakes and brooks.

For lurking in these waters, ready to challenge the skill of the armies of fishermen, will be thousands of bass and sunfish reared at the hatchery of the fish and wildlife service at Fairport.

Fay copper, superintendent at the station, said thousands of small fish were distributed in southern Iowa and also in northern Missouri and western Illinois.

Total Production

The totaled production at the statin during the year at 486,000 bluegill sunfish, 71,000 large month bass, 15,400 small mouth bass, 2,000 channel catfish and a few crappies and bullheads.

A specially-equipped truck operated at the station was employed in distributing these fish in the three-state area.

Water in which the fish are transported is continually aerated through the action of an air compressor. Also carried in the truck is emergency equipment in the form of oxygen tank for use in the event there should be any trouble with the mechanism of the air compressor pump or motor while the vehicle is en route with its valuable cargo.

In the distribution of the fish propagated here, the truck negotiated trips through western Illinois down as far as East St. Louis; northern Missouri, with some distribution in southern and central Illinois and in the vicinity of St. Louis’ and in southern Iowa.

Aside from trips into southern Iowa, the truck made one trip into the northern tier of Iowa counties and the vicinity of Osage in Mitchell county.

Muscatine Vicinity

Thousands of fish were planted in waters in the Muscatine vicinity as the 1949 distribution program was brought to a close. Twenty-six thousand bluegill sunfish went into the Muscatine slough, 2,000 bass and 10,000 bluegills into Staley’s lake near the Cedar river, and 25,000 bluegills into the lake at the Moose farm on Muscatine Island. Additional blue gill fingerlings were placed in the Mississippi with plantings being made near the fish hatchery, near Wyoming hill, and just above dame No.16 in the shallows.

With all distribution of the fish completed for the season, the hatchery has been put in readiness for the winter. Approximately 750 adult fish are being carried over to serve as breeding stock for next year.

There are 27 ponds at the hatchery, ranging in area from a fraction of an acre to three and one-half acres.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Back to Muscatine Co. IAGenWeb, Index Page

Page created July 28, 2020