ODFW employees Kurt Cundiff (L) and Roger Smith (R) load juveniles into the air stocking device

The helicopter with a loaded air stocking device travels to high lakes near Mount Hood

SALEM, Ore — Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife biologists used a helicopter to stock more than 450 back country lakes in the Cascade mountain range with upwards of 300,000 rainbow trout, cutthroat trout and brook trout last week.

By using a helicopter ODFW can stock an average of 90 lakes per day. Before 1997, when the department went airborne, it took biologists on horseback months to do that many lakes. To start, Juvenile trout are loaded into an air stocking device with 30 individual compartments that each hold up to 1,000 fish. A unique transport device slung beneath the helicopter releases fish with the press of a button. The air stocking device was designed by ODFW engineers and funded by the ODFW Restoration and Enhancement Program. 

This year district fish biologists used new navigation software and hardware that provided more efficient flight times. The recent purchase of the equipment was funded by the ODFW R&E program. Overall, the Cascade High Lakes air stocking program and resultant fisheries are the most cost-effective fishery program in the state. Each district fish biologist provides navigation for the pilot while another accompanying biologist uses a control panel to release fish into the lakes at the appropriate time. Most of the high lakes are stocked on a two-year rotation.

“Back country lakes offer a nice fishing experience in solitude,” said District Fish Biologist Jeff Ziller. ‘They can be accessed throughout the summer and fall months. Local district fisheries biologists recommend that anglers fish these lakes early morning or late evening for best results.”  Ziller added that anglers should contact their local ODFW district office for the most recent back country lakes stocking information.