Stocking up

By Dan Armitage, OCJ outdoors writer

More than 46 million fish were stocked in Ohio’s lakes, ponds, rivers and streams in 2024 by the Ohio Division of Wildlife (ODOW). Eleven different species of fish were stocked during the spring, summer, and fall at 228 locations statewide, good news for Ohio’s 849,000 licensed anglers. 

The Division operates six state fish hatcheries that raise gamefish for stocking in Ohio waters, including saugeye, walleye, yellow perch, rainbow trout, steelhead trout, brown trout, muskellunge, hybrid-striped bass, blue catfish, channel catfish, and bluegill. That said, most of Ohio’s fish populations are sustained through natural reproduction such as crappies, smallmouth bass, and Lake Erie walleye; however, stocking expands and diversifies fishing opportunities in waters where existing habitats do not support some fish populations.

The fish stocked in Ohio last year were of five life stages: 31.8 million fry, 13.4 million fingerlings, 236,701 advanced fingerlings, 514,032 yearlings, and 105,101 catchable fish.… Continue reading