Private fish stocking
Wyoming Game and Fish Commission regulations Chapter 51, Private Fish Hatcheries, and Chapter 49, Private Stocking of Cold-Blooded Wildlife, describe the regulations associated with stocking waters on private land with fish from approved private fish hatcheries.
Private landowners are required to obtain a free stocking authorization from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department prior to stocking fish in their private pond. A list of private hatcheries, including species available, is listed below.
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department reviews each application for private fish stocking to ensure the species requested will not pose a significant threat to native species, or otherwise conflict with management goals for the drainage where the private water is located. Department-approved private fish hatcheries have met specific, annual fish health and aquatic invasive species testing requirements.
The steps to follow for getting authorization to plant a private pond:
1. Contact a Wyoming Game and Fish Department-approved private fish hatchery. The current list of department-approved private hatcheries is available:
- Online
- At department regional offices.
- At Game and Fish headquarters.
- By contacting the Fish Division at (307) 777-4559.
Review the species available from each hatchery and determine the price, availability and timing of stocking.
2. Complete a Private Fish Stocking Application. If applying to stock a water you have stocked previously, contact the Fish Division at Cheyenne headquarters for a renewal application at (307) 777-4559. For information on grass carp stocking, contact the Game and Fish regional fish supervisor at your regional office or contact the Fish Division at Cheyenne headquarters.
3. Email, mail or fax the application to the Cheyenne headquarters office. The contact information is provided on the bottom of the application. Submit your application well in advance of the intended stocking date, allowing at least 10 business days for department review.
4. Once an application is received it is processed as follows:
- The application is reviewed for completeness. If information is missing, Fish Division attempts to contact the applicant for the necessary information. If unable to contact the applicant via phone, the application is returned with missing fields highlighted.
- Once complete, the application is forwarded to the appropriate regional fisheries supervisor for review.
- If approved, an authorization is issued to the applicant and the department approved private fish hatchery.
Top 5 reasons fish stocking applications are delayed
- Application is not submitted at least 10 days before the desired planting date.
- Fish species, size, number or the desired date of planting is not provided.
- Previous plant information is incorrect.
- Failure to provide a valid daytime phone number, forcing correction requests to go through standard mail.
- Failure to contact the Wyoming Game and Fish Department-approved private fish hatchery before application.