Last week, the Department of Fish and Wildlife conducted a two-day event at Fish Springs Hatchery of the clipping the adipose fin from thousands of smaller Eagle Lake strain rainbow trout. DFW worked with the volunteer support of Crowley Fish Foundation board members Andre Nersesian and Hodges Glass. Andre, Hodges, and others helped local DFW fish biologist Nick Buckmaster as they clipped the fins from temporarily sedated trout. The purpose of clipping the adipose fin is for proper fish identification for fish surveys held during the fishing season. With the collection of extensive fish survey data, DFW can more effectively stock the region’s fisheries with the best matched trout strains for the local waters.
The Department of Fish and Wildlife, Crowley Fish Foundation, and Angler’s Atlas are jointly working together to better collect fish data during the first two months of the fishing season on Crowley Lake. A lot of these Eagle Lake strain rainbow trout will be stocked in Crowley Lake, and other lakes south of Conway Summit. It’s great to see the community working together for our fisheries. If you are planning on fishing Crowley Lake this summer, you can help, too. If you catch one of these Eagle Lake strain rainbow trout, DFW wants to know! Please register for the fish survey which can be done electronically through your smartphone. You can find more information on how to register for the survey here: https://crowleyfishfoundation.org/2025-crowley-lake-challenge
