What happened to all the stocked trout???

[TeacherMan]

Question; its been like 10 years since I've been in this state for opening of general trout. Back then when I'd look up the stocking reports they would dump 10s of thousands of trout in the local lakes and now its in the hundreds? Places like Waitts and Fishtrap use to get like 100K fry pan size fish.

Just wondering if there is something I'm missing and the fish are still being planted? West Medical is only getting like 1000 fish 

[LDennis24]

Seems like everybody wants that immediate satisfaction these days so they don't want to see 8-10" baby trout. They wanna catch a full 12"-15" or even bigger  fish so the hatchery's produce fish that are almost brood stock size and release them instead... 

Plus you can catch them on wet dogfood since that's what they have eaten since hatching! Lol

[Skyvalhunter]

You still should be able to find all the stocking on the WDFW site. The stocked pan sized fish should be shown on their site soon. They usually only stock them just before the season opener. They bank on that income so I am sure they will be stocking

[quadrafire]

Ridgeratt posted this yesterday
https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/plants/weekly/

[Ridgeratt]

Stand in front of the mirror and repeat slowly until you believe this:   

It might take several times.

This is a conscientious allocation of your sportsman dollars.

[Stein]

WDFW says they are planting 2.17 million trout in 2018, average size about 11 inches.

[Moe the Sleaze]

I'm with Teacherman.  The numbers seem way way down since....well, lets just say about 2012 or so.  I think its due almost entirely to lack of budget money for the hatcheries. Lower priority you know, at least to the general population.  There is also a rather newer philosophy (becoming more popular every year) against "put and take" fishing.

And didn't the state start dumping our license money into the GENERAL fund?  If so, that's the problem right there.

[BigGoonTuna]

One thing I've noticed is that there are swarms of cormorants on all the local lakes, there weren't any 10 years ago.  With the amount of fish they eat, it's a miracle any make it to carryover size any more.

[Stein]

It is easy to find out if you want to look, there are reports on this page going back to 2012 for all lakes and streams for both trout and kokes.

https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/plants/statewide/

[Ridgeratt]

It is easy to find out if you want to look, there are reports on this page going back to 2012 for all lakes and streams for both trout and kokes.

https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/plants/statewide/

This is great information it evens tells you about the private lakes that WDFW plants.

[runamuk]

They plant our lakes weekly and thats legals and triploids.  Its announced on FB all the time even which lake got what.  And the lakes have been swamped since March opener.

I just saw wdfw on FB announce stocking for kokes and such as well for this next opener maybe?

There are more farmed fish than you can shake a stick at if you ask me.  I dont fish for that reason I do not like trout, and farm trout is worse. 

[Ridgeratt]

WDFW says they are planting 2.17 million trout in 2018, average size about 11 inches.

When you check this data out they are planting fish that are 2.5 per pound. Not sure if you can get a 11 inch fish to make the mark.

https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/plants/weekly/

Also nothing more tasty than a hatchery rainbow. But I have heard the sturgeon in Roosevelt like them.   

[HUNTIN4SIX]

Most lakes get the same amount they always have.  Wdfw only reports catchable trout 2.5 fpp (fish per lb.) and bigger.  Thousands are planted at 4 fpp (8-10"). There is no big negative crisis.  Waitts and fish trap will be loaded with rainbow. 

[TeacherMan]

Most lakes get the same amount they always have.  Wdfw only reports catchable trout 2.5 fpp (fish per lb.) and bigger.  Thousands are planted at 4 fpp (8-10"). There is no big negative crisis.  Waitts and fish trap will be loaded with rainbow.

Perfect I'm taking 5 girls between the age of 7-12  I don't think I'll get much personal fishing time in but I like it when kids have good action. Makes them want to come back 

[Gobble Doc]

I fished a planted lake by our house this year and you'd think of the 1500 they added that I'd at least be able to find 1!  I'm blaming it on the fat eagle up in the tree