MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) today released the 2022 stocking numbers for inland waterbodies and the Great Lakes. Over six million fish were stocked in 2022 to fill stocking quotas established by fisheries biologists.
Every year, the DNR raises millions of yearling and fingerling fish to stock into waterbodies across the state. Stocking helps boost natural fish populations, maintain or restore existing fisheries, and support recreational fishing opportunities. Stocking is also used to evaluate management actions or propagation techniques.
DNR fish crews stocked these species into inland waters across the state in 2022.
| 2022 INLAND STOCKING SUMMARY | |
| Species | Total Number Stocked |
| Brook trout | 232,896 |
| Brown trout | 315,981 |
| Lake sturgeon | 12,421 |
| Lake trout | 78,099 |
| Largemouth bass | 114,241 |
| Muskellunge | 41,970 |
| Northern pike | 48,181 |
| Rainbow trout | 267,198 |
| Walleye | 1,588,918 |
Below is a list of the fish stocked into Lake Michigan (LM), Lake Superior (LS) and their tributaries in 2022.
| 2022 GREAT LAKES STOCKING SUMMARY | |
| Species | Total Number Stocked |
| Brook trout (LM) | 50,021 |
| Brown trout | 475,701 (LM) 140,839 (LS) |
| Chinook salmon (LM) | 893,650 145,095* |
| Coho salmon (LM) | 412,273 |
| Lake sturgeon (LM) | 4,185 |
| Lake trout (LS) | 88,027 |
| Muskellunge (LM) | 3,029 |
| Steelhead (LM) | 850,772 150,497* |
| Splake (LS) | 47,770 |
| Walleye (LS) | 109,850 |
*These fish were raised by the Michigan DNR and were stocked by Wisconsin DNR staff. They helped supplement Wisconsin DNR stocking quotas but are not included in the Wisconsin DNR’s stocking database.
These numbers include large fingerling walleye purchased by the DNR from private growers or tribal hatcheries that contributed to filling walleye stocking quotas. These numbers do not include fish supplied by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the stocking of fry or any other private or tribal hatchery stocking events.
Visit the DNR’s stocking database to view stocking data from previous years or stocking numbers for a specific location.
