Fish Stocking

While the vast majority of Wisconsin lakes and streams have self-sustaining fish populations, stocking remains an important management tool for some waters. DNR fish hatcheries and other facilities produce young fish for stocking to re-establish formerly self-sustaining populations, to provide research data on the effectiveness of stocking and other related practices, and to expand fishing opportunities for Wisconsin's anglers.

2011 Fall Stocking Reports

The following fall stocking tables include stocking planned for this fall. Most of the fish stocked range from 5 to 9 inches long, depending on fish species, and it will be at least one year for some species, and up to a decade for musky, to reach the size at which anglers can legally keep them.

• Northern Region [PDF 89KB]
• Northeast Region [PDF 28KB]
• West Central Region [PDF 26KB]
• South Central and Southeast Regions [PDF 50KB]

Fish Stocking Database

A stocking database allows you to quickly see where fish have been stocked throughout Wisconsin in past years in case you are interested in targeting stocked waters. You'll find information from 1972 to the present.

Stocking FAQs

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.

What do I need if I want to stock fish in Wisconsin?
In order to stock fish in Wisconsin, you must submit a fish stocking permit application to the Wisconsin DNR fish biologist who manages the waters where you wish to stock the fish.