NDGF walleye
By Doug Leier
Unlike deer, upland game and waterfowl, the production of fisheries is hard to notice on a year-by-year basis. What hasn’t changed is the strong boost the beginning of the early 1990s wet cycle has provided for decades or fishing success in North Dakota.
As it’s been said, we’re living in the good old days of fishing in North Dakota.
Partnerships between the North Dakota Game and Fish Department and federal fish hatcheries, combined with favorable environmental conditions this spring, helped produce another successful year of fish stocking across North Dakota.
Each spring, fisheries personnel collect walleye eggs from adult spawning fish at selected locations across the state. The eggs are transported to Garrison Dam National Fish Hatchery and Valley City National Fish Hatchery, where they are incubated and hatched. Shortly after hatching, the fry are stocked into production ponds where they feed naturally and grow for about a month before being collected as fingerlings measuring at least an inch in length.
This summer, the department stocked nearly 12 million walleye fingerlings into waters statewide. About 11 million of those fish were produced at Garrison Dam National Fish Hatchery, while another 1.1 million were raised at Valley City National Fish Hatchery.
The combined production ranks among the highest on record. The previous combined record from the two federal hatcheries exceeded 12 million fingerlings in 2017.
Jerry Weigel, North Dakota Game and Fish Department fish production and development section supervisor, said annual stocking plans balance production, fisheries management objectives and the needs of individual waters.
“Traditionally, on large production years, significant numbers of walleye fingerlings would go to big systems,” Weigel said. “This year, 2.3 million walleye went into Lake Sakakawea and just under 500,000 into Stump, Darling and Ashtabula, with the remaining fish stocked into over 150 other lakes.”
Moving millions of fish across North Dakota requires planning and coordination. During a two-week period in June, department stocking trucks traveled more than 12,000 miles delivering fingerlings to lakes and reservoirs throughout the state.
Weather also worked in favor of the stocking effort.
“Stocking conditions in 2026 were optimal, given the unusually cool temperatures over the weeks in June when fish were being stocked,” Weigel said.
Cool water temperatures reduce stress on young fish during transport and release. Receiving waters also contained abundant invertebrates, providing an important food source as newly stocked walleyes adapted to their new environments. Those favorable conditions are expected to improve survival and growth through the remainder of the growing season.
The department also completed its annual northern pike stocking program, placing approximately 1.1 million northern pike fingerlings into 37 waters statewide.
Northern pike stockings are generally limited to waters that do not support walleye populations. Those lakes provide unique fishing opportunities while expanding species diversity for anglers. Fast-growing northern pike can provide quality fishing within a relatively short period after stocking, giving anglers additional opportunities to enjoy North Dakota’s outstanding fisheries for years ahead together.
All which points to a bright future.
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