Determination of Stocking Densities for Satisfactory Put-and-Take Rainbow Trout Fisheries

By developing a winter fishery for rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss to complement an existing warmwater sport fishery, fishery managers can promote higher angler use by providing year-round recreational fishing opportunities. However, the high cost of providing harvestable-size rainbow trout coupled with limited hatchery production capabilities and limited funds available for hatchery expansion and fishery programs will limit the expansion of these successful programs. We evaluated three stocking densities of harvestable-size rainbow trout—low (700 trout/ha), medium (1,400 trout/ha), and high (2,100 trout/ha)—to determine a stocking strategy that provides maximum fishery benefits from a limited number of fish. Catch rates were significantly higher for lakes with medium and high stocking densities. However, angler effort, proportion of stocked fish caught, angler fishing success rating, and angler trip satisfaction rating did not differ among stocking treatments. Despite catch rates of 0.5 trout/h, anglers rated fishing success less than “fair” and trip satisfaction less than “good.” Before a stocking strategy can be designed, a management goal must be set because no single stocking strategy proved superior for all management goals considered.