The temperatures are dropping and so are stocked fish — out of planes and helicopters! DEC's Adirondack, Bath, Chateaugay, Chautauqua, Rome, South Otselic, and Van Hornesville hatcheries are stocking approximately 750,000 fish into New York State waters this fall. This includes brook trout, brown trout, rainbow trout, lake trout, landlocked Atlantic salmon, splake, round whitefish, cisco, and muskellunge.
What's really cool about these late season stocking trips is that many of them are accomplished by air. Fixed wing airplanes and helicopters piloted by NYS Police help hatchery staff stock approximately 220,000 Horn Lake, Little Tupper, Temiscamie hybrid, and Windfall strain brook trout into 269 ponds across Essex, Franklin, Hamilton, and St. Lawrence counties. New York State's pond dwelling brook trout provide a unique angling experience in secluded locations, and these air stockings play a critical role in maintaining these remote fisheries.
Helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft like the one shown in the photo are specially outfitted with aerated holding tanks and a release chute in order to transport and drop fish into remote waters in the Adirondack region.