The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Springville Hatchery

A few of us got to tour the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Springville Fish Hatchery in advance of an upcoming meeting.  What a a great asset this is to the fishermen of Utah.  We got to see the entire process from egg incubation to fish (almost) ready to stock.  It is amazing the preparation and time that goes into getting fish ready for the public to catch them and the amount of care that goes into making this a success.  Many thanks to Rick for shepherding us through what they do there!!

Left: Some of the old raceways and ponds.  In the future these may be used to raise warmwater fish for transplant to local waters.   Because of Whirling Disease, the old, concrete raceways are no longer used.  The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources built a new, state of the art facility that treats the water to remove any contaminants. 










Left:  Here are some of the just hatched Rainbow Trout.  They will "bulk up" here and then be moved to another raceway to continue their growth.













                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                       Above:  The fish are moved as they
                                                                                                                                                      continue to grow.






 Left: Another progression in the growth of these fish.

Right: This is where they really get going - the final stage of growth before being stocked into our waters.  Most of the fish will be stocked into community fisheries along the Wasatch Front providing enjoyment for many anglers who can't travel long distances or who want some close by fishing opportunities.    Many of these community fisheries are great places to get kids involved in the fishing experience.

Some fish will also be stocked into other waters that we enjoy fishing.

The next time you get to go fishing, please remember those folks who go to work every day to make your experience a great one!