ARCHIVED PUBLICATION
This document is provided for archival purposes only. Archived documents do not reflect current WDFW regulations or policy and may contain factual inaccuracies.
Note: The statewide trout stocking plan provides anglers with the earliest information on where and how many trout are planned to be stocked into lakes and streams around the state. While most of the lakes are stocked as planned, anglers can expect a few changes due to modifications in hatchery production, as well as the ability to stock excess brood fish.
| To see what has been stocked in lakes check our weekly stocking report at: http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/plants/weekly/ |
The 2014 Statewide Hatchery Trout and Kokanee Stocking Plan contains stocking information on each of the state's six regions individually and for the entire state. The locations, dates, exact numbers and times presented are based on current information, so unavoidable changes may occur.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife will be stocking 17,140, 634 trout and kokanee into 562 water bodies across the state in 2014. These will be comprised of "catchables", "jumbos", "triploids", "put, grow and take" and "fry/fingerling" plants.
Catchable Trout Plants
For the 2014 trout fishing season, 2.3 million catchables will be stocked throughout the state. Anglers will be pleased to find that like last year the average size of catchables on opening day will be larger than in previous years. Catchables were on average eight inches in length, but this year, they will be closer to 11 inches. The catchable program will include 114,732 "jumbos", which are fish that WDFW hatcheries raise to be 1 - 11 pounds. Jumbos, combined with the 52,000 purchased triploid trout, averaging 1.5 pounds per fish, will provide opportunities for larger trout in selected lakes. To keep track of when catchable, jumbo and triploid trout are stocked in real-time, anglers can consult http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/plants/weekly/
Triploid Trout
In 2014, the Department will stock 114 lakes and ponds throughout the state with 52,000 triploid trout that average 1½ pounds each. These trout are purchased by the Department from private growers. 42,000 of these trout will be stocked in April and May and an additional 10,000 will be stocked in June for a statewide Father's Day fishing promotion
Trout and Kokanee Fry, Fingerling and Put, Grow and Take Plants
Over 13.99 million fry, fingerlings and put, grow and take fish were stocked throughout the state as 2-to-8-inch-long fish. Kokanee fry were stocked in 2012 for the 2014 fishery, while trout fry, fingerling and put, grow and take were stocked in spring and fall 2013 for this year's catch.
Fry, fingerlings and put, grow and take are stocked in the spring and fall, when they are able to feed and grow on natural food until they are large enough to be harvested. The survival rate for these differing sizes of fish varies depending on conditions of the lake. A number of eastern Washington lakes are managed in such a way that fry survival is very good and therefore are the primary source of trout available for harvest. Western Washington lowland lakes depend primarily on catchable-size trout plants because of relatively low fry survival. In Western Washington, where fry plants are successful, the ones that survive supplement the catchable trout plants.
Some Tips for Catching Trout
To find when, where and how to catch trout in Washington visit our Fish Washington website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/washington