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Fingerlings Stocked in State Waters
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North Dakota Game and Fish Department fisheries personnel recently stocked a record number of fingerlings in a record number of state waters.

Jerry Weigel, fisheries production and development section leader, said with additional water scattered throughout the state fisheries staff were geared up for a big year.<br />
"The Garrison Dam and Valley City national fish hatcheries came through with more than 11 million walleye, pike and perch fingerlings, and they were stocked in 180 state waters, 50 more lakes than average," Weigel said.<br />
Considering none of the three species were stocked into Devils Lake or Lake Sakakawea, the numbers are even more impressive. "In years when we have stocked Lake Sakakawea we exceeded 11 million fingerlings, but Sakakawea alone received several million or more fingerlings," Weigel said. "At the same time, that is when we typically stock 100-120 individual lakes."<br />
Weigel said the emphasis on this year's stocking efforts was to get fish into all the new water areas. "In years like this Mother Nature really cranks up fisheries statewide," he added. "Our thought process is to ensure all lakes, even those with no brood fish, have a chance of producing a very good year-class of fish that is expected in years such as this."<br />
In addition, this year's high water mark has allowed biologists to try to create new perch fisheries. "We do this a little different, because we don't necessarily just capitalize on hatchery production," Weigel said. "We visit lakes with an overabundance of smaller fish, remove some of the adults that still have eggs that are ready to spawn, and before they lay their eggs stock them into new waters hoping they will reproduce."<br />
Weigel said it generally takes lakes with stocked pike fingerlings two years, perch 2-3 years and walleye 3-4 years before they become a viable fishery. "These fingerlings are 1.5-2 inches in length," he added. "They won't benefit an angler this year or even next, but year three generally bodes well for the angler."<br />
Updated stocking reports are available on the Game and Fish Department website at gf.nd.gov. Anglers should access the fishing link.

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