Anglers can look forward to great fall fishing, due to successful spring and summer fish stocking by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. The DNR stocked a total of 9,118,112 fish that weighed nearly 321 tons and consisted of 10 different species and one hybrid.
Fish stocking is an important activity to provide both Michigan residents and visitors with quality fishing opportunities. These efforts also bring an estimated $4.2 billion into the state’s economy and help support a Great Lakes fishery valued at more than $7 billion.
Michigan DNR fish-stocking truck at Grand River in Lyons.
To complete the task of stocking, 17 specialized trucks started in early spring and took 451 trips – traveling more than 100,000 miles and 2,829 hours – to 691 stocking sites. Releasing fish early in spring can reduce their loss to major bird predators, like cormorants, whose peak migration times come later in the season.
The number and type of fish produced vary by hatchery, as the source and temperature of the water determine which fish can be raised in that location. Fish are reared in Michigan’s state fish hatcheries anywhere from one to 18 months before they are stocked.
In Michigan there are six state and two cooperative hatcheries that work together to produce the species, strain and size of fish needed for fisheries managers. These fish must then be delivered and stocked at a specific time and location to ensure their success.
