The Wyoming Game and Fish Department, in collaboration with the U.S. Forest Service, will soon be conducting helicopter stocking of fish in backcountry and wilderness lakes outside Dubois and Lander. This initiative targets lakes in the Shoshone National Forest, specifically within the Popo Agie and Fitzpatrick Wildernesses.
Over the course of several days, a total of 30 lakes will be stocked with over 40,000 fingerling-sized fish, ranging from one and a half to three inches in length. The species to be stocked include brook trout, golden trout, tiger trout, rainbow trout, Yellowstone cutthroat trout, and Snake River cutthroat trout. These fish will take at least two years to reach a catchable size.
“Many backcountry lakes support wild, naturally reproducing fish populations and do not require periodic stocking. However, the lakes being stocked this year do not support natural reproduction and are stocked to maintain these fisheries for people to enjoy,” said Joe Deromedi, Lander Fisheries Supervisor.
A small percentage of high-elevation lakes across the state are stocked on a rotational basis every two to four years. Most remote waters support naturally reproducing fish populations and do not need stocking. Historically, stocking fish into hard-to-reach waters was done by horseback, but helicopters have been used for decades as a more efficient means of planting fish in remote, roadless areas.
At the airport or staging location, fish are loaded into eight separate cylinder-shaped tanks that suspend beneath the helicopter. Each tank can hold up to 30 pounds of fish and is equipped with oxygen stones. The water in the tanks is iced to slow the fish’s metabolism and increase the oxygen capacity.
“This is a very efficient way for us to stock multiple remote lakes at one time and even in one flight. In addition, fish released through this method typically have higher survival rates than older, slower methods of stocking,” added Deromedi.
For further information, please contact Joe Deromedi at 307-335-2608.
Shoshone National Forest Lakes to be Stocked by Helicopter in 2024
Washakie Ranger District:
- Christina Lake: Brook Trout, 2,000
- Fawn Lake: Snake River Cutthroat, 1,000
- Helmet Lake: Snake River Cutthroat Trout, 5,000
- Holster Lake: Snake River Cutthroat Trout, 1,500
- Leg Lake: Golden Trout, 3,600
- Loch Leven Lake: Rainbow Trout, 1,750
- Lower Saddlebags: Golden Trout, 750
- Lower Tayo Lake: Golden Trout, 1,500
- Scud Lake: Snake River Cutthroat Trout, 200
- Smith Lake: Tiger Trout, 5
- Thumb Lake: Golden Trout, 2,600
- Upper Deep Creek Lake: Golden Trout, 3,000
- Upper Silas Lake: Tiger Trout, 2,000
- Upper Tayo Lake: Golden Trout, 1,000
- Upper Toadstool Lake: Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout, 400
- Upper Valentine Lake: Golden Trout, 850
- Windy Lake: Golden Trout, 3,000
Wind River Ranger District:
- Clendenning Lake: Brook Trout, 300
- Dennis Lake: Golden Trout, 2,000
- First Lake: Golden Trout, 375
- Golden Lake (Dinwoody): Golden Trout, 750
- Hidden Lake: Brook Trout, 300
- Lost Lake: Golden Trout, 600
- Marion Lake: Golden Trout, 800
- Murray Lake: Brook Trout, 300; Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout, 300
- Pinto Lake: Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout, 500
- Rim Lake: Snake River Cutthroat Trout, 500
- Slim Lake: Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout, 300
- Timberline Pond #2: Tiger Trout, 300
- Timberline Pond #4: Tiger Trout, 250
For more details on the stocking schedule and the specific lakes, visit the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s website or contact Joe Deromedi at 307-335-2608.
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