Are adipose fins clipped on all stocked rainbow trout released in Idaho? I caught two trout in Lucky Peak Reservoir that had caudal and pectoral fin damage commonly associated with hatchery trout but both fish retained their adipose fins.
Answer:
Greetings, thanks for your question about adipose-clipped trout!
Idaho Fish and Game does not typically adipose-clip hatchery rainbow trout. You may see some adipose-clipped hatchery trout in some waters (Salmon River near Stanley, for example), but they are not very common. The Department may adipose-clip trout when needed in certain circumstances or for a particular evaluation or study (stocked brown trout on the Boise River, for example).
The majority of hatchery trout are not typically adipose-clippped, so the trout you caught at Lucky Peak were probably typical hatchery trout.
Thanks,
Martin Koenig
Sportfishing Program Coordinator
Answered on:
Wednesday, January 13, 2016 - 9:27 AM MST