Taking stock of Idaho’s hatchery fish: Here’s where and when you can find stocked fish
It’s a scenario every angler has dreamed of and a lucky few have experienced: You’re sitting on your favorite bank when, suddenly, a shiny tanker truck arrives and dumps hundreds of fish into the lake. Within seconds, you’re hooked up with the first of what promises to be a quick limit.
Crossing paths with freshly stocked fish is a treat, but there’s more to hatchery work than meets the eye — Idaho Fish and Game stocks more than 30 million fish every year! Where do they come from, and why are they released into fisheries across Idaho? The answers may surprise you.
Which fish get stocked?
Most hatchery fish in Idaho are rainbow trout, which are typically released as catchable-sized fish (more on this in a second). Other commonly stocked species include Kokanee, brown trout and cutthroat trout. These species, which are planted as fingerlings, grow up where they are stocked and take on native qualities (an example being Kokanee in Lucky Peak and Arrowrock, which eventually run up tributaries to spawn). IDFG has a nifty tool on its website where anglers can view upcoming stocking schedules and historical records of what species have been stocked (and where).
The word on rainbows
As a hearty species that most anglers like to catch, rainbow trout make up a huge percentage of IDFG’s stocking program. Rainbows are usually released as pan-sized adults (10-12 inches), but depending on habitat and food supply, they can grow quickly.
These sterile fish are managed as a put-and-take resource — they are intended to be caught and harvested by anglers. Sterilizing the eggs in the hatchery keeps planted rainbows from cross-breeding with wild fish and prevents overpopulation. If you catch a rainbow in a local pond or reservoir, it’s almost certainly stocked.
In rivers, learning to tell the difference between wild fish (which I recommend releasing) and hatchery transplants is a valuable skill. Occasionally, brood stock trout are released into select fisheries. These huge adults spend years producing generations of stocked fish at hatcheries. When they approach end-of-life, they are turned loose for lucky anglers to catch.
Why are fish stocked?
The short answer is so they can be caught. With rainbows, most fish go into high-traffic fisheries, including local ponds, the Boise River and popular reservoirs like C.J. Strike, Horsethief and Lucky Peak.
Other species are stocked to create and maintain unique fisheries — examples include walleye at Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir, tiger muskie at Little Payette Lake, arctic grayling and cutthroat trout in alpine lakes (which are usually stocked from a plane!) and Lahontan cutthroats in Owyhee County.
Some stockings are experimental and/or an effort to improve a fishery. Sterile grass carp are put in ponds to help control weeds (please don’t shoot them!). IDFG recently planted tiger muskies in Lake Lowell to control the carp population. It’s too early to tell if it’s working, but tiger muskie, which are a sterile hybrid species, have been successfully used to reduce unwanted or overpopulated species elsewhere.
What about bass?
Interestingly, there is very little stocking of warmwater species like bass, bluegill and crappie, which are successful at sustaining their own wild populations. These species aren’t raised in Idaho hatcheries. On occasion, IDFG will transplant fish from one body of water to another, usually to boost populations after poor water years or to establish a new fishery.
Who stocks fish?
Most stocking work is done by IDFG, which owns and operates many hatcheries. Idaho Power also stocks rainbow trout, Chinook salmon and steelhead as part of its license to operate hydroelectric dams on the Snake River — that work is done in coordination with IDFG.
Occasionally, other organizations get involved in stocking. Magic Valley trout producer Riverence and other Idaho fish farms recently worked with IDFG to donate thousands of surplus rainbows. This kind of work requires careful planning and permitting — it is against the law to stock or transplant any kind of fish without a permit, and the results of illegal stocking can be devastating to fisheries and anglers alike.
Because of favorable water temperatures, spring and fall are the most active seasons for trout stocking. So grab your tackle and hit the water! With a little luck, you might even cross paths with that elusive fish tanker. Tight lines!
Jordan Rodriguez has been fishing Idaho waters since he was a teen. Share your fish stories, adventures, tips and tricks with him at tightlinesboise@gmail.com or visit www.tightlines208.com.
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