LANSING, Mich. – Want to know where the fish are in Michigan lakes and rivers? The Department of Natural Resources has released where they have stocked their 25 million fish in 2017.
The DNR announced that during the spring and summer, they have stocked over 25 million fish, weighing more than 320 tons. The 11 different species and one hybrid were stocked in 760 stocking sites around the state.
“We had excellent spring and summer stocking seasons that will bring significant benefits and fishing opportunities to Michigan anglers,” said Ed Eisch, DNR fish production manager in a press release. “With the hard work and dedication of our staff, fish were reared and delivered to stocking sites in excellent condition. The numbers produced and stocked were right on target for most areas.”
Six state hatcheries and two cooperative hatcheries produce the species, strain and size of the fish needed by the fisheries.
Here’s a look at which hatchery produced which fish this season:
• Marquette State Fish Hatchery (near Marquette) stocked 629,361 yearling lake trout, brook trout and splake (a hybrid of lake trout and brook trout) that in total weighed 63,802 pounds. This hatchery stocked a total of 113 inland and Great Lakes sites.
• Thompson State Fish Hatchery (near Manistique) stocked 874,612 fish that included yearling steelhead and spring fingerling Chinook salmon. These fish weighed 123,430 pounds in total. This hatchery stocked 59 sites (the majority located on the Great Lakes).
• Oden State Fish Hatchery (near Petoskey) stocked 598,602 yearling brown trout and rainbow trout that in total weighed 103,601 pounds. This hatchery stocked 139 inland and Great Lakes sites.
• Harrietta State Fish Hatchery (in Harrietta) stocked 1,289,024 yearling brown trout and rainbow trout that in total weighed 105,629 pounds. This hatchery stocked 312 sites (the majority located inland).
• Platte River State Fish Hatchery (near Honor) stocked 1,976,582 fish that included yearling Atlantic salmon and coho salmon and spring fingerling Chinook salmon that in total weighed 124,346 pounds. This hatchery stocked 49 sites (the majority located on the Great Lakes).
• Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery (near Kalamazoo) stocked 1,164,008 fish that included yearling steelhead and spring fingerling Chinook salmon, as well as channel catfish obtained from the Ohio DNR, that in total weighed 107,053 pounds. This hatchery stocked 65 sites (the majority located on the Great Lakes).
• A cooperative teaching hatchery at Lake Superior State University (in Sault Saint Marie) stocked 28,482 Atlantic salmon weighing 4,104 pounds into the St. Marys River.
To see where exactly many of the fish were stocked, you can sort by county and specific body of water on the DNR website here.
