Hook and Hunting: Nearly 50 Thousand Lake Trout Released in Crystal Lake

Nearly 50 thousand lake trout were released in Crystal Lake in Benzie County Thursday.

Each lake trout is raised by Marquette State Fish Hatchery spends approximately 15-16 months in the facility. When the fish reach three to four inches in length, technicians transport and release them into local lakes and streams.

“It’s a rewarding job. I get to not only raise the fish and see them through their life cycle, but I get to bring them to places like this and know that I’m contributing to kids having fun, fishermen having fun all over the state,” said Bryce Kucharek, Fisheries Technician, Marquette State Fish Hatchery.

In order to legally keep trout fished out of Crystal Lake, the fish must be no shorter than 15 inches. The newly stocked lake trout will take four to five years to grow to minimum length.

The money for the fishery operations comes primarily from fishing license sales, but also from marine and fuel and fishing equipment tax.