Why Aren’t All Fish Plants Listed in the Fishing Guide?

August 15, 2019

Question: I read your recent news release about stocking salmon into California reservoirs (https://cdfgnews.wordpress.com/2019/06/27/cdfw-stocks-more-than-1-45-million-fingerling-landlocked-salmon/). It states that Kokanee were released into New Melones Reservoir. However, I never see salmon plants on the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) online Fishing Guide. Can you tell me why the salmon plants aren’t on there? (Zach K.)

Answer: That’s a great question. Inland salmon (Kokanee and Chinook) are released as “fingerling” size fish into productive lakes and reservoirs that promote their growth and contribution to recreational fisheries. We don’t advertise these “put and grow” stocking events on our website, since it might mislead anglers to believe that a fishery is ready for recreational angling – which it may be (from prior years of fingerling stocking), or may not be; if fish were not released in previous years. Fingerling stocking for put and grow fisheries for both inland salmon and trout may occur every year, every other year, or have gaps in years, depending on water conditions and availability of fish.

The current year fish stocking plans on our website, https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=74004&inline, do include inland salmon (both Kokanee and Chinook) and other put and grow fisheries. And our map-based Fishing Guide on our website at https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Guide also lists lakes with inland salmon fisheries.