Fish Stocking

Since 1876, Wisconsin has owned and operated fish hatcheries throughout the state, using them to stock its many lakes, streams and rivers with young fish. Fish are stocked to re-establish formerly self-sustaining populations, to provide research data on the effectiveness of stocking and other related practices, and to expand recreational opportunities for Wisconsin's anglers.

Additionally, a Fish Stocking Database [exit DNR] has been established, allowing anybody to quickly see where fish have been stocked throughout Wisconsin. Answers to other common questions regarding fish stocking can be found below.

I Would Like To Stock Fish in Wisconsin

If you would like to stock fish in Wisconsin, please see the information we have provided on that Web page.

Why are fish stocked into some lakes and streams?

Stocking is used as part of an integrated management approach:

• Rehabilitation: To restore self-sustaining fish populations.
• Research or Evaluation: To determine the cost-effectiveness of stocking, evaluate alternate propagation techniques, or other management actions.
• Remediation: To maintain an existing fishery that has been reduced due to external impacts, such as habitat losses or winter kills.
• Recreation: To create or maintain a recreational fishery that did not previously exist and is not self-sustaining.
• Introductions: To introduce a species into a waterbody where not previously present, ideally resulting in the establishment of a self sustaining fishery with minimal impacts on existing fisheries.

What species of fish are stocked in Wisconsin waters?

The species of fish stocked in Wisconsin include brook trout, brown trout, rainbow trout, lake trout, coho salmon, chinook salmon, steelhead, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, lake sturgeon, muskellunge, northern pike, and walleye.

How many fish get stocked into each waterbody?

The number and size of fish stocked are based on the size of the waterbody and the management goal for that waterbody. Fish managers consider many factors including growth rate, mortality, habitat, and the amount of natural reproduction when determining the number and size of fish to be stocked.

For more specific information on the number of fish that have been stocked in a particular area, please consult the Fish Stocking Database.