Casting Digital Nets

Watertown, December 13, 1933.

Mr. Willard Crandall, 4759 N. Maplewood Ave., Chicago, Ill.

Dear Sir: Yours of December 2nd, to hand in reference to the use of outboard motors to introduce oxygen into low water lakes, dams etc. and will say that we have had real results from this method combined with other equiptment equipment as air compressors etc.

It can be readily seen that by kicking a stream of water up onto the ice and allowing it to run for some distance then allowing it to run down through holes made here and there is of vast importance among low water lakes etc. where fish may be in distress from lack of oxygen wether whether this water be pumped up by the use of outboard motors or pumps etc. We have made use of the outboard motors to a great extent since they are so easily moved from place to place although pumps of various sorts can be used for the same purpose.

The present winter we will if weather is adverse and heavy ice comes to our more shallow lakes and dams make use of air compressors along with a large water pump mounted with gas engine on a truck and a number of outboard motors.

Very truly yours,

Department of Game and Fish,

R. L. Ripple

Supt. of Fisheries,

Watertown, December 26, 1933.

Mr. Elmer Liebig, Cottonwood lake hatchery, Redfield, South Dakota.

Dear Mr. Liebig: Am sure sorry to learn the seine hauls made with the 1,200 ft. of seine have not brought in more fish from our small showing with short seine previous to freeze-up however it may be with a green crew things have not panned out as they should since here at Pelican lake we had more or less difficulty until we got set but the past week has been successful in that we have brought in some 26,000 lbs. of fish all kinds that have been passed out in this county at the rate of about 25 lbs. to the family. People get them at the county sheds here at Watertown and they have had three men passing them out. Saturday morning they had five tons on hand but by two o'clock afternoon all were gone. Our largest single haul to date was 6 and one half tons.

This we do find, that cars etc. cant can't be running around on the ice near or inside the hauls in these shallow waters we are working because the least alarm is felt by especially the carp and they get to other parts at once. We have to close in on them quickly and drive with cars and trucks with cans etc. attached to make a noise before making the landing and it sure helps. I can't imagine only getting a meager amount of fish at Cottonwood lake with the amount of seine being used however things may pick up, on the other hand I suppose the county men are wondering why they don't get more fish.

I would like to see this big seine we are using at Pelican lake here pulled through your lake with the addition of the driving in we do with certain hauls, I'll bet you would see plenty of fish come to shore. Carp are darn wise and I am just wondering if your seine being short, the fish don't run around it before landing. Anyway I can suggest that they should be careful not to drive or alarm those carp inside the hauls before landing. Seining carp in shallow water is not like getting them in deeper lakes, they just get wise at the least alarm or noise and get away. Should have at least 2,500 ft. of seine on that job. Getting our air compressors etc. in shape, will see you very soon.

Yours very truly "Compliments of the season"

Watertown, December 26, 1933. Mr. Fred Curtis, Deputy State Game Warden, Huron, South Dakota.

Dear Mr. Curtis: Am rather tardy answering yours of the 15th, inst., in reference to your findings and the Roswell and Donahue dams, we have had our hands full here with the seining operations at Pelican lake since we are making use of relief labor on this project and it was some time before we got things so everything corked right. Our total for this past week was 26,000 pounds of fish mostly carp and buffalo that were alotted out at 25 lbs. per family throughout this county. Having only 14 inches of water under the ice we have made every minute count to get the fish while we could work our big seine of about 3,500 ft.

Glad we did not get to send fish to fill that Donahue application after all if they have no proper place for them and read with great interest your findings in reference to the Roswell dam which should be very O. K. when finished. I find that the two flocks of about 4,000 pelicans each that fished Pelican lake here for two months previous tot he freeze-up took this lake to a cleaning in the matter of perch and bullheads, leaving the carp, buffalo and northern pike so I wont have any application fish from this source. Think it may be well so long as they only have three feet of water in the Roswell dam to wait until spring and after the severe winter weather is over to stock their waters when it can be done to a nicety with bullheads and a few other varieties from our spring fishing operations. Of course if I run onto a lot of bullheads some where we may get them some this winter but that is doubtful now. I have reserved about One half million bullheads of this last years hatch in our bass ponds at Lake Andes and Redfield for spring stocking of waters should we get water so we will be all set along that line however I would not have much opportunity to get into those ponds at this time.

To date we havent had any great success with getting large seine hauls at either Lake Traverse or Cottonwood lake at Redfiels but hope for better results from now on. Hope you had a fine Christmas and wishing you and yours a Happy New Year,

Very truly yours,

R. L. Ripple