For the Tomahawk Leader
WISCONSIN – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), on Thursday, May 9, released the 2023 fish stocking numbers for inland waterbodies and the Great Lakes.
A release from DNR said it raises millions of yearling and fingerling fish to stock into Wisconsin waters every year.
“Over six million fish were stocked in 2023, which helped fulfill the quotas submitted by county fisheries biologists,” DNR stated.
DNR said stocking “helps boost natural fish populations where natural reproduction can no longer support the fishery, maintain or restore existing fisheries and support recreational fishing opportunities.”
“Stocking is also used to evaluate management actions or fish culture techniques,” DNR stated.
DNR fish crews have stocked fish in inland waters, Lake Michigan, Lake Superior and their tributaries across the state in 2023.
The following summaries provide total fish stocked by species in Wisconsin waters in 2023.
Inland waters: 204,467 brook trout; 324,422 brown trout; 90,565 lake trout; 80 largemouth bass; 35,786 muskellunge; 108,969 northern pike; 251,508 rainbow trout; 1,964,192 walleye.
Lake Michigan: 49,998 brook trout; 455,253 brown trout; 1,386,492 Chinook salmon; 500,189 coho salmon; 591 lake sturgeon; 7,681 muskellunge; 522,852 rainbow trout.
Lake Superior: 174,906 brown trout; 73,251 lake trout; 40,816 splake; 100,000 walleye.
This data does not include the stocking of newly hatched fry, fish stocked by private fish farms under a stocking permit, fish stocked by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or fish stocked by our tribal partners.
Visit the DNR’s Fish Stocking database (www.tinyurl.com/yexjmxb3) to view stocking data from previous years or specific waters.
Lincoln County Data
Waterbody Species Age Class Fish Stocked Avg. Length (inches)
Ament Lake Brook Trout Yearling 3,100 8.9
Moraine Lake Rainbow Trout Yearling 2,317 8.8
Tahoe Lake Rainbow Trout Yearling 1,980 8.2
Larson Lake Rainbow Trout Yearling 2,633 9.1
Mirror Lake Rainbow Trout Yearling 1,100 8.8
Henson Lake Brook Trout Lg. Fingerling 2,100 5.6
Mirror Lake Brook Trout Lg. Fingerling 1,600 5.6
Squaw Lake Muskellunge Lg. Fingerling 20 11
Data courtesy of Wisconsin DNR.