Almost 43,000 fall fingerling walleyes were stocked at eight locations in northern Indiana in early October, the DNR announced on Tuesday. Additionally over 26,700 fall fingerlings were stocked at five more locations in late October to mid-November.
The fish stocked in the second round were grown at Fawn River State Fish Hatchery to supplement the earlier stockings that were purchased from a private commercial fish supplier, the DNR said.
Locally stocked lakes include Bass Lake in Starke County, Pine and Stone Lakes in La Porte, the St. Joseph River, and Wolf Lake in Lake County.
The DNR said most of the locations are stocked with fall fingerlings each year and a few locations are stocked on alternate years. The DNR also said the lakes are continually evaluated by biologists for fish survival and angling use.
Multiple other lakes are stocked with walleyes by privately funded lake associations, according to the DNR. A stocking permit that is evaluated and approved by the local DNR fisheries biologist is needed before any stocking can take place.
The DNR says anglers should handle young walleye they catch gently because they are the future of the fishery.