StockedWaters

Splake Stocking: Utah, New York, and Montana Records

Splake stocking is dominated by Utah in the records covered here, with New York adding a smaller program and Montana appearing only in one historic entry.

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The StockedWaters snapshot contains 898 splake-stocking records at 52 waters in Utah, New York, and Montana. The entries span 1970–2026 and report about 6.75 million fish, but one of the three state totals is historical rather than evidence of an active program.

Key takeaways

  • Utah accounts for 679 splake records and about 6.43 million reported fish in this dataset.
  • New York contributes 218 records at 15 waters, with its latest indexed splake year in 2025.
  • Montana appears once, in a 1970 record; that is not evidence of current splake stocking there.

Which states have splake stocking records?

The data includes splake records from Utah, New York and Montana. The time range matters: a historic entry can be useful context without being a recommendation or a current stocking report.

The figures are a reproducible snapshot of the agency records indexed by StockedWaters. A record is a reported stocking event; it is not a promise that fish remain in a water today.

Splake stocking by state: the record snapshot

Separate active-looking recent records from historical entries before using a total to plan an outing.

  • Utah — 679 records across 36 waters; 6,426,786 reported fish; latest indexed year 2026.
  • New York — 218 records across 15 waters; 326,180 reported fish; latest indexed year 2025.
  • Montana — 1 record at 1 water; 251 reported fish; the record is from 1970.

How to compare splake stocking records honestly

The event total, distinct-water total, and reported-fish total answer different questions. An event total shows how many separate releases an agency recorded. A distinct-water total shows the breadth of named locations in the indexed data. A reported-fish total adds the quantities supplied by the agency. None is a live census of fish in the water.

Comparisons also inherit the scope of the original reports. Agencies can have different start years, update schedules, fish-size labels, and date precision. StockedWaters normalizes the fields needed to compare records, but it does not turn a month-level report into an exact day or fill in quantities that the agency did not publish.

What a cumulative stocking total cannot tell you

  • A large historical total does not prove that fish are present or catchable today.
  • A named water in the data is not automatically public, open, or managed under standard statewide rules.
  • A reported quantity does not predict survival, fishing pressure, or an angler’s likely catch rate.
  • A newer source entry can supersede a prior plan or reveal a different date precision.

What makes splake data easy to misread?

Splake totals combine records over long periods. A large lifetime total can reflect many years of plants, while a single old entry only shows that a plant was once reported. To make a present-tense fishing decision, prioritize the newest record and the agency’s live report.

  • Step 1: Check the latest indexed year on the waterbody, not just the all-time total.
  • Step 2: Use the water-specific history to understand what was reported and at what precision.
  • Step 3: Confirm the official report and current special regulations before a trip.

How to check the source before a trip

For the current source listings, consult Utah DWR, New York DEC, and Montana FWP. Utah DWR identifies splake among fish that can perform well when stocked as small fingerlings, but the current report remains the trip-planning authority.

Always check the water-specific rules and access conditions before fishing. A stocking report is evidence of a reported release, not a substitute for the current regulations.

Related StockedWaters guides

Learn how splake compare with other hybrid trout in Tiger Trout, Splake, and Other Hybrids. For remote-water logistics, see How Aerial Fish Stocking Works.

Recommended Tackle & Angler Gear

Field-tested tackle, baits, and essentials matched to the species and waters featured in this guide.

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Frequently asked

Which states stock splake?

The current StockedWaters data contains splake records from Utah, New York, and Montana. Utah and New York have recent indexed entries, while Montana’s single indexed splake record dates to 1970. Always distinguish historic reporting from a current agency stocking plan.

Does Utah stock the most splake in this dataset?

Yes. Utah has 679 of the 898 indexed splake-stocking records and about 6.43 million of the 6.75 million reported fish. Those figures describe the cumulative historical records in this dataset, not the number of splake currently swimming in Utah waters.

Are Montana splake records current?

The only Montana splake entry in this dataset is from 1970. It documents a historical reported plant, not a current Montana splake program today. Anglers should always use the state’s current live stocking source when deciding where to fish now.

How do I find recent splake stocking information?

Start with the named water’s splake history on StockedWaters, especially the newest displayed year, then open the Utah or New York agency stocking report. Verify current regulations and access conditions because past stocking history does not guarantee a current fishery.

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