The Department of Natural Resources’s Fisheries Division and tribal partners stocked nearly five million walleye fingerlings throughout Michigan, this spring and summer.
More than 30 walleye ponds in Michigan were used this year, with most relying heavily on local sportsmen’s organizations. These groups assist with the ponds’ finances and provide volunteers to help with fertilization, pond maintenance, and fish harvest.
“The many local angling groups that join us in rearing and stocking walleye are extremely valuable,” says Ed Eisch, fish production manager for the Department of Natural Resources. “These annual efforts allow us to greatly enhance the world-class fishing opportunities available in Michigan.”
Eggs were taken from the Muskegon River and Little Bay De Noc, and then hatched at Thompson, Wolf Lake, and Platte River state fish hatcheries. A few days after hatching, the larval walleyes were moved from the hatcheries to local walleye ponds.
One million of the fingerlings stocked were reared by the Chippewa Ottawa Resource Authority, in the Upper Peninsula and northern lower peninsula waters.
