The 108 Mile Lake is home to 1,500 new Rainbow trout, following a visit from fish-stocking crews last week.
The fish were released April 29 by the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC, a non-profit that runs six hatcheries around the province and stocks upwards of 800 lakes each year.
Craig Schelter, who manages the Summerland hatchery, said 108 Mile Lake has seen success over the past four years with the stocking of larger, catchable fish. He noted the 108 was not stocked for a number of years because there wasn’t a lot of success with the smaller sizes.
“They are about a half-pound right now, and they should reach decent sizes throughout the summer and fall months,” he said.
The fish come from the Summerland hatchery, which received them from one of the province’s nine egg stations about a year ago and they hatched in June 2020.
Although lakes in the South Cariboo are usually stocked with fish raised at the Clearwater hatchery, the warmer water in the Okanagan means the Summerland location is able to grow the fish to a more catchable size, better suited to 108 Mile Lake.
The cost of stocking the lake – and hundreds of others around the province – is paid for by fishing licence revenue, Schelter said.
Funds from licences also go towards research, conservation, education and improved access to fishing locations.
To find out more about the stocking program – and for other recreational fishing resources – visit www.gofishbc.com
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