6,000 Jumbo Channel Catfish Stocked in 19 Community Fishing Ponds

Three Rock Springs ponds were stocked with some catfish.
6,000 Jumbo Channel Catfish Stocked in 19 Community Fishing Ponds

With the help of a few budding fish biologists, Game and Fish stocks Yessness Pond in Casper with channel catfish. And yes, they were heavy! Wyoming Game and Fish photo

CHEYENNE — Grab your rod, choose a bait and head to the water. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department recently stocked 6,000 channel catfish into 19 community fishing ponds statewide. The fish are considered “jumbo-sized” at 13 to 14-inches and make great table fare.

Rock Springs was fortunate enough to have some of these big fish stocked in three of its ponds, while Lyman had one pond stocked with the catfish.

The catfish come from the Wyoming Women’s Center in Lusk from their in-house aquaculture program. It is the first time Game and Fish has worked with the Women’s Center aquaculture facility to raise and provide fish for the state, and the collaboration has benefits for anglers.

“Game and Fish doesn’t have a cool and warm water fish hatchery  — our fish culture facilities are primarily supplied by colder water sources which make them great for raising trout,” said Guy Campbell, Game and Fish fish culture supervisor. “With the Women’s Center, there was a unique opportunity for them to raise a warm water fish to benefit anglers.”

Typically, cool and warm water fish, such as catfish, stocked in Wyoming are acquired by fish trades with other states. 

The jumbo catfish were stocked at:
 

WATERNUMBER OF FISHTOWN
Sloans Lake1500Cheyenne
Minnehaha750Cheyenne
Rock Lake750Wheatland
Festo Lake500Wheatland
Gillette Fishing Lake250Gillette
Panther Pond200Wright
Sundance Fairgrounds Pond200Sundance
Mavrakis Pond175Sheridan
Ranchester City Pond175Ranchester
Basin Water Plant380Basin
South Worland400Worland
Big Bend 5100Riverton
Big Bend 6200Riverton
Yesness250Casper
Fairgrounds Pond 130Rock Springs
Fairgrounds Pond 250Rock Springs
Rock Springs Pond30Rock Springs
Diamondville Pond30Diamondville 
Lyman City Pond30Lyman

Campbell says the catfish acquired from the Women’s Center are much larger than the typical stocking size.

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“These jumbo catfish will create an instant summer fishery,” Campbell said.

Fishing licenses are available online, from Game and Fish regional offices and community license selling agents. Kids under 14 fish for free; nonresident youth under 14 must fish with a licensed adult.