Several small fisheries in southeast Idaho have recently received rainbow trout broodstock donated by two private Idaho hatcheries, Riverence-Lost River and Riverence-Soda Springs.
During the last two weeks of October, Idaho Fish and Game staff stocked over 1800 of these donated trout in Chesterfield Reservoir, Springfield Lake, McTucker Pond, Edson Fichter Pond, and Bannock Reservoir (Wellness Complex) to improve catch rates and provide trophy-sized opportunities at these fisheries. The donated fish range in size from 4 to 9 pounds! Over the past several years, these broodstock were spawned to produce eggs until they were retired and donated for Fish and Game’s stocking program.
| Water body | Approximate weight of each fish (lbs.) | Number stocked |
| Chesterfield Reservoir | 4 | 600 |
| Springfield Lake | 5 | 915 |
| McTucker Pond | 6 | 200 |
| Edson Fichter Pond | 9 | 65 |
| Bannock Reservoir | 9 | 65 |
Idaho Fish and Game has seen success with stocking efforts like this before. Last fall, donated broodstock were released to Chesterfield Reservoir, and anglers reported catching these fish throughout the winter! Surveys of Springfield Lake completed in 2023 identified that the trout population was suffering there, and these recently stocked lunkers are expected to have an immediate impact for that fishery. Stocking schedules and stocking reports can be found at Fish and Game’s Fish Stocking webpage.
