Rainbow trout is among the species to be stocked in Maryland waters. Photo by Ranger Mark Spurrier, Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
Hatcheries are shifting towards stocking larger trout in response to angler input
Annapolis, MD - The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will begin fall trout stocking in early October as soon as water levels and temperatures are acceptable for trout.
Department crews will transport thousands of state hatchery-raised brown, golden rainbow, and rainbow trout and release them statewide in select creeks, rivers, lakes, and ponds.
The department is making changes to trout stocking in 2024 into 2025 in response to survey feedback from trout anglers as well as heat and drought-induced challenges faced at the hatcheries this past summer. DNR Fishing and Boating Services periodically surveys anglers and incorporates the results into the agency’s operations.
“Anglers’ preferences and opinions help guide our management approach and inform the services we provide,” said John Mullican, director of DNR’s Freshwater Fisheries and Hatcheries Division. “We heard from many put-and-take trout anglers that they would prefer to catch larger trout, even if they caught fewer trout overall, so we are adjusting the stocking strategy to achieve that end result.”
2023 Trout Angler Survey results indicate most anglers prefer to catch between one and three larger trout versus five trout of a smaller size.
