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According
to the Michigan
Department of Natural Resources Fisheries
Division,
approximately 40% of all recreational fishing in Michigan
depends on stocked fish, including 70% of the Great Lakes
trout and salmon fishery. The spring stocking season
generally begins the first week in April and lasts until
mid-June. Fall stocking usually occurs in September and
October.
On
this page I've highlighted just a few of the more popular
West Michigan rivers and streams that are stocked by the
DNR. You can use these links to quickly find the trout and
salmon plantings for:
Kent
County:
Coldwater River, Grand River, Rogue River
Lake
County:
Pere Marquette River
Muskegon
County:
Crockery Creek, Muskegon Lake
Newaygo
County:
Muskegon River
The
complete DNR
Fish Stocking Report
for each year fills about 140 pages and includes both
coldwater and warmwater fisheries. On the last page of the
report, you can learn about the types of markings used on
many of the planted trout and salmon, as well as the sources
and strains of the planted fish. To help identify your
catch, see the Michigan
Trout Identification.
The
DNR also provides some interesting Hatchery
Information
for fishermen and conservationists. When you're in the area
of a hatchery, it's worth your time to stop and see how the
operation works. Many seem to be open seven days a week.
Kent
County
Buck
Creek
|
Location
|
Species
(Strain)
|
Est.
Number
|
Avg.
Length (in.)
|
|
Byron
Center Rd.
|
Brown
Trout (Seeforellen)
|
1,980
|
5.6
|
|
Clyde
Park Ave.
|
Brown
Trout (Seeforellen)
|
1,980
|
5.6
|
|
Ivanrest
Ave.
|
Brown
Trout (Seeforellen)
|
980
|
5.6
|
|
44th
St.
|
Brown
Trout (Seeforellen)
|
1,980
|
5.6
|
|
54th
St.
|
Brown
Trout (Seeforellen)
|
1,980
|
5.6
|
|
68th
St.
|
Brown
Trout (Seeforellen)
|
480
|
5.6
|
Coldwater
River
|
Location
|
Species
(Strain)
|
Est.
Number
|
Avg.
Length (in.)
|
|
Baker
Ave.
|
Brown
Trout (Seeforellen)
|
4,850
|
5.6
|
|
Coldwater
Ave.
|
Brown
Trout (Seeforellen)
|
2,230
|
5.6
|
|
Park
|
Brown
Trout (Seeforellen)
|
4,850
|
5.6
|
Duck
Creek
|
Location
|
Species
(Strain)
|
Est.
Number
|
Avg.
Length (in.)
|
|
Montcalm
Ave.
|
Brown
Trout (Seeforellen)
|
650
|
5.6
|
Flat
River
|
Location
|
Species
(Strain)
|
Est.
Number
|
Avg.
Length (in.)
|
|
Main
St.
|
Rainbow
Trout (Steel-MI Winter)
|
5,018
|
8.0
|
Grand
River
|
Location
|
Species
(Strain)
|
Est.
Number
|
Avg.
Length (in.)
|
|
Riverside
Park
|
Chinook
Salmon (Michigan)
|
298,978
|
4.2
|
Lime
Lake
|
Location
|
Species
(Strain)
|
Est.
Number
|
Avg.
Length (in.)
|
|
Lime
Lake
|
Rainbow
Trout (Eagle Lake)
|
1,587
|
6.8
|
|
Lime
Lake
|
Rainbow
Trout (Steel-MI Winter)
|
4,985
|
7.8
|
Marjella
Lake
|
Location
|
Species
(Strain)
|
Est.
Number
|
Avg.
Length (in.)
|
|
Marjella
Lake
|
Rainbow
Trout (Eagle Lake)
|
800
|
6.8
|
Rogue
River
|
Location
|
Species
(Strain)
|
Est.
Number
|
Avg.
Length (in.)
|
|
Algoma
Ave.
|
Brown
Trout (Gilchrist Creek)
|
1,140
|
4.6
|
|
|
Brown
Trout (Wild Rose)
|
1,140
|
6.4
|
|
|
Rainbow
Trout (Eagle Lake)
|
2,280
|
5.9
|
|
Childsdale
Ave.
|
Brown
Trout (Wild Rose)
|
2,450
|
6.5
|
|
|
Rainbow
Trout (Eagle Lake)
|
2,480
|
6.0
|
|
Edgerton
Ave.
|
Brown
Trout (Gilchrist Creek)
|
1,140
|
4.6
|
|
|
Brown
Trout (Wild Rose)
|
1,140
|
6.4
|
|
|
Rainbow
Trout (Eagle Lake)
|
2,260
|
5.9
|
|
Grange
Rd.
|
Brown
Trout (Gilchrist Creek)
|
1,140
|
4.6
|
|
|
Brown
Trout (Wild Rose)
|
1,140
|
6.4
|
|
|
Rainbow
Trout (Eagle Lake)
|
2,280
|
5.9
|
|
Jerico
Rd.
|
Brown
Trout (Wild Rose)
|
2,450
|
6.5
|
|
|
Rainbow
Trout (Eagle Lake)
|
2,480
|
5.9
|
|
|
Rainbow
Trout (Steel-MI Winter)
|
34,230
|
7.9
|
|
12
Mile Rd. - Friske Dr.
|
Brown
Trout (Gilchrist Creek)
|
1,140
|
4.6
|
|
|
Brown
Trout (Wild Rose)
|
1,140
|
6.4
|
|
|
Rainbow
Trout (Eagle Lake)
|
2,250
|
5.9
|
|
12
Mile Rd. - Summit Ave.
|
Brown
Trout (Gilchrist Creek)
|
1,140
|
4.6
|
|
|
Brown
Trout (Wild Rose)
|
1,140
|
6.4
|
|
|
Rainbow
Trout (Eagle Lake)
|
2,265
|
6.8
|
Tyler
Creek
|
Location
|
Species
(Strain)
|
Est.
Number
|
Avg.
Length (in.)
|
|
Freeport
Ave.
|
Brown
Trout (Seeforellen)
|
390
|
5.6
|
|
100th
St.
|
Brown
Trout (Seeforellen)
|
390
|
5.6
|
|
84th
St.
|
Brown
Trout (Seeforellen)
|
390
|
5.6
|
|
92nd
St.
|
Brown
Trout (Seeforellen)
|
390
|
5.6
|
Lake
County
Harper
Lake
|
Location
|
Species
(Strain)
|
Est.
Number
|
Avg.
Length (in.)
|
|
Harper
Lake P.A.S.
|
Brown
Trout (Wild Rose)
|
1,980
|
5.6
|
Little
Manistee River
|
Location
|
Species
(Strain)
|
Est.
Number
|
Avg.
Length (in.)
|
|
18
Mile Bridge
|
Brown
Trout
|
2,000
|
7.1
|
Little
South Branch Pere Marquette
River
|
Location
|
Species
(Strain)
|
Est.
Number
|
Avg.
Length (in.)
|
|
Taylor
Bridge
|
Brown
Trout
|
700
|
6.1
|
Middle
Branch Pere Marquette River
|
Location
|
Species
(Strain)
|
Est.
Number
|
Avg.
Length (in.)
|
|
Section
14
|
Brown
Trout
|
1,000
|
6.1
|
Pere
Marquette River
|
Location
|
Species
(Strain)
|
Est.
Number
|
Avg.
Length (in.)
|
|
Bowman's
Bridge
|
Brown
Trout (Wild Rose)
|
1,450
|
6.9
|
|
Cannons
|
Brown
Trout (Wild Rose)
|
2,450
|
6.9
|
|
DNR
P.A.S. - Sulak
|
Brown
Trout (Wild Rose)
|
2,450
|
6.9
|
|
Green
Cottage
|
Brown
Trout (Wild Rose)
|
5,000
|
6.5
|
|
M
37 - P.A.S.
|
Brown
Trout (Wild Rose)
|
5,000
|
6.5
|
|
MacDougalls
|
Brown
Trout (Wild Rose)
|
2,450
|
6.9
|
|
Rainbow
Rapids
|
Brown
Trout (Wild Rose)
|
1,450
|
6.9
|
|
Rod
& Gun Club
|
Brown
Trout
|
1,000
|
12.7
|
|
|
Brown
Trout
|
5,000
|
3.6
|
|
Upper
Branch Bridge
|
Brown
Trout (Wild Rose)
|
1,450
|
6.9
|
Muskegon
County
Crockery
Creek
|
Location
|
Species
(Strain)
|
Est.
Number
|
Avg.
Length (in.)
|
|
Bailey
Rd.
|
Brown
Trout (Wild Rose)
|
980
|
5.7
|
|
Behler
Rd.
|
Brown
Trout (Wild Rose)
|
980
|
5.7
|
|
M-46
|
Brown
Trout (Wild Rose)
|
980
|
5.7
|
|
Moore
Rd.
|
Brown
Trout (Wild Rose)
|
980
|
5.7
|
|
Ravenna
Park
|
Brown
Trout (Wild Rose)
|
980
|
5.7
|
|
|
Rainbow
Trout (Steel-MI Winter)
|
5,052
|
8.0
|
|
Sherman
|
Brown
Trout (Wild Rose)
|
980
|
5.7
|
Crockery
Creek Tributary
|
Location
|
Species
(Strain)
|
Est.
Number
|
Avg.
Length (in.)
|
|
Laketon
Ave.
|
Brown
Trout (Wild Rose)
|
200
|
5.7
|
|
Slocum
Rd.
|
Brown
Trout (Wild Rose)
|
290
|
5.7
|
Half Moon
Lake
|
Location
|
Species
(Strain)
|
Est.
Number
|
Avg.
Length (in.)
|
|
Half
Moon Lake
|
Rainbow
Trout (Steel-MI Winter)
|
7,380
|
7.8
|
Muskegon
Lake Outlet
|
Location
|
Species
(Strain)
|
Est.
Number
|
Avg.
Length (in.)
|
|
Mukegon
Lake Outlet
|
Brown
Trout (Seeforellen)
|
18,460
|
6.1
|
|
|
Chinook
Salmon (Michigan)
|
34,124
|
4.2
|
|
|
Chinook
Salmon (Michigan)
|
56,100
|
3.2
|
|
|
Rainbow
Trout (Steel-MI Winter)
|
10,068
|
7.7
|
North
Branch Crockery Creek
|
Location
|
Species
(Strain)
|
Est.
Number
|
Avg.
Length (in.)
|
|
Laketon
Rd.
|
Brown
Trout (Wild Rose)
|
200
|
5.6
|
|
Newaygo
|
Brown
Trout (Wild Rose)
|
290
|
5.6
|
Norris
Creek
|
Location
|
Species
(Strain)
|
Est.
Number
|
Avg.
Length (in.)
|
|
Farr
Rd.
|
Brown
Trout (Seeforellen)
|
150
|
5.6
|
|
Sternberg
Rd.
|
Brown
Trout (Seeforellen)
|
150
|
5.6
|
|
Sullivan
Rd.
|
Brown
Trout (Seeforellen)
|
100
|
5.6
|
White
Lake Channel
|
Location
|
Species
(Strain)
|
Est.
Number
|
Avg.
Length (in.)
|
|
Montague
|
Brown
Trout (Seeforellen)
|
18,500
|
6.1
|
Newaygo
County
Big South
Branch Pere Marquette River
|
Location
|
Species
(Strain)
|
Est.
Number
|
Avg.
Length (in.)
|
|
Big
S. Br. Pere Marquette River
|
Brown
Trout (Seeforellen)
|
2,450
|
5.9
|
Condon
Lake
|
Location
|
Species
(Strain)
|
Est.
Number
|
Avg.
Length (in.)
|
|
Condon
Lake
|
Rainbow
Trout (Eagle Lake)
|
500
|
6.4
|
Crockery
Creek
|
Location
|
Species
(Strain)
|
Est.
Number
|
Avg.
Length (in.)
|
|
Ferris
Road
|
Brown
Trout (Wild Rose)
|
980
|
5.7
|
Crystal
Lake
|
Location
|
Species
(Strain)
|
Est.
Number
|
Avg.
Length (in.)
|
|
Crystal
Lake
|
Rainbow
Trout (Eagle Lake)
|
5,865
|
6.2
|
Muskegon
River
|
Location
|
Species
(Strain)
|
Est.
Number
|
Avg.
Length (in.)
|
|
Anderson
Flat
|
Brown
Trout (Wild Rose)
|
8,976
|
6.6
|
|
Croton
Dam
|
Brown
Trout (Wild Rose)
|
15,000
|
6.4
|
|
|
Rainbow
Trout (Eagle Lake)
|
24,401
|
6.5
|
|
Henning
Park
|
Brown
Trout (Wild Rose)
|
9,296
|
6.6
|
|
|
Chinook
Salmon (Michigan)
|
137,310
|
3.2
|
|
|
Rainbow
Trout (Eagle Lake)
|
18,640
|
6.5
|
|
|
Rainbow
Trout (Eagle Lake)
|
5,796
|
6.6
|
|
|
Rainbow
Trout (Steel-MI Winter)
|
20,202
|
7.9
|
|
|
Rainbow
Trout (Steel-MI Winter)
|
5,000
|
8.2
|
|
Newaygo
P.A.S.
|
Brown
Trout (Wild Rose)
|
9,700
|
6.2
|
|
|
Rainbow
Trout (Eagle Lake)
|
16,717
|
6.6
|
|
Pine
Street
|
Brown
Trout (Wild Rose)
|
3,000
|
6.4
|
|
|
Brown
Trout (Wild Rose)
|
17,000
|
6.5
|
|
|
Rainbow
Trout (Eagle Lake)
|
15,266
|
6.5
|
|
|
Rainbow
Trout (Eagle Lake)
|
14,040
|
6.6
|
|
|
Rainbow
Trout (Steel-MI Winter)
|
20,170
|
7.8
|
|
Thornapple
Ave.
|
Brown
Trout (Wild Rose)
|
18,624
|
6.5
|
|
|
Rainbow
Trout (Eagle Lake)
|
29,257
|
6.6
|
Tamarack
Creek
|
Location
|
Species
(Strain)
|
Est.
Number
|
Avg.
Length (in.)
|
|
Newcosta
Rd.
|
Brown
Trout (Seeforellen)
|
2,440
|
5.6
|
|