Fisherman’s delight: Local lakes stocked with muskies

(WKBN) — The Ohio Department of Natural Resources announced Monday it is nearly 20,000 muskellunge, or muskies, in nine inland lakes across the state in 2024.

The department says this stock will provide “outstanding” fishing opportunities.

Muskies were stocked in the following nine lakes:

• Alum Creek Lake
• C. J. Brown Reservoir
• Caesar Creek Lake
• Clearfork Reservoir
• Lake Milton
• Leesville Lake
• Piedmont Lake
• Salt Fork Lake
• West Branch Reservoir

The Division of Wildlife raises muskellunge at the Kincaid and London state fish hatcheries. The hatcheries then stock 10- to 12-inch muskies in nine lakes each fall.

ODNR reports that trophy muskies have been documented at each of the stocking locations. In addition to reservoirs where they are stocked, the predatory fish are caught in many of Ohio’s river systems.

The Division of Wildlife operates six state fish hatcheries to manage fish populations and increase public fishing opportunities. Eleven fish species are stocked statewide, and the agency put more than 40 million fish into public waters in 2023.

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