South Dakota Officials Release Lake Trout into Deerfield Reservoir

HILL CITY, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota wildlife officials have stock Deerfield Reservoir near Hill City with large lake trout.

The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Department says crews have released 55 large trout into the reservoir. The fish average 27 inches in length and were acquired from the Saratoga National Fish Hatchery in Wyoming.

John Lott is the department's chief of fisheries. Lott says the decision to stock the reservoir with lake trout stems from the comments the agency received from anglers during the drafting of the Black Hills fisheries management plans.

The department is planning future stockings of 11-inch lake trout raised at South Dakota hatcheries.

Lake trout is a popular cold water predator. Lott says the reservoir has an abundance of rock bass and yellow perch for the trout to eat.

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