(Michigan Department of Natural Resources photo) A Michigan DEPARTMENT of Natural Resources fish-stocking truck near the edge of the Manistee River at Tippy Dam. A total of 265,676 fish were stocked this spring at the Manistee County location.

IRON MOUNTAIN — More than 9.1 million fish that weighed nearly 321 tons and consisted of 10 different species and one hybrid were stocked this spring and summer by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

To complete the task, 17 specialized trucks started in early spring and took 451 trips — traveling more than 100,000 miles and 2,829 hours — to 691 stocking sites.

“We had another excellent spring and summer stocking season that will bring ecological benefits and fishing opportunities to Michigan anglers,” said Aaron Switzer, DNR fish production manager. “Thanks to the hard work and dedication of our staff, healthy, high-quality fish were reared and delivered to stocking sites in excellent condition. The numbers produced and stocked met the targets for most areas.”

To find out where many of the fish were stocked, check out the DNR’s Fish Stocking Database at michigandnr.com/fishstock.

Included in this year’s total were 2.4 million walleye spring fingerlings. These fish, reared in ponds by the DNR with extensive support provided by local sporting organizations, were stocked at 61 inland lakes and rivers and Lake Michigan.

More than 35,000 walleye fingerlings were stocked in June at the Groveland Mine Ponds in Dickinson County. In Iron County, Chicagon Lake, Hagerman Lake, Stager Lake and the Crystal Falls Impoundment received nearly 55,000 walleye fingerlings.

Other Iron County plantings included 440 brook trout at Killdeer Lake, 1,100 rainbow trout at Fortune Pond and nearly 4,000 splake at Lake Ellen. The size of those fish averaged about 8 inches.

The number and type of fish produced vary by hatchery, as the source and temperature of the water determine which fish can be raised in that location. Fish are reared in Michigan’s state fish hatcheries anywhere from one month to 1 1/2 years before they are stocked.

Releasing fish early in spring can reduce their loss to major bird predators such as cormorants, whose peak migration times come later in the season, the DNR said.

Michigan has six state and two cooperative hatcheries that work together to produce the species, strain and size of fish needed for fisheries managers. These fish must then be delivered and stocked at a specific time and location to ensure their success.

Each hatchery stocked these fish this spring:

— Marquette State Fish Hatchery near Marquette stocked 323,710 yearling lake trout, brook trout and splake — a hybrid of lake trout and brook trout — that in total weighed 41,771 pounds. This hatchery stocked 90 inland and Great Lakes sites.

— Thompson State Fish Hatchery near Manistique stocked 1,171,696 fish that included yearling steelhead and spring fingerling Chinook salmon. These fish weighed 102,442 pounds in total. This hatchery stocked 64 sites, the majority located on the Great Lakes.

— Oden State Fish Hatchery near Petoskey stocked 762,074 yearling brown trout and rainbow trout that in total weighed 112,704 pounds. Oden also stocked 3,689 adult brown and rainbow trout that in total weighed 8,148 pounds. This hatchery stocked 159 inland and Great Lakes sites.

— Harrietta State Fish Hatchery in Harrietta stocked 684,487 yearling brown trout and rainbow trout that in total weighed 84,812 pounds. This hatchery stocked 200 sites, the majority located inland.

— Platte River State Fish Hatchery near Honor stocked 2,272,494 fish that included yearling Atlantic salmon, yearling coho salmon and spring fingerling Chinook salmon that in total weighed 161,396 pounds. Platte River also stocked 31,514 Skamania steelhead obtained from the Indiana DNR that in total weighed 4,314 pounds. This hatchery stocked 23 sites, the majority located on the Great Lakes.

— Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery near Kalamazoo stocked 1,485,711 fish that included yearling steelhead, yearling muskellunge and spring fingerling Chinook salmon that in total weighed 123,381 pounds. Wolf Lake also stocked 22,067 channel catfish obtained from the Ohio DNR, that in total weighed 670 pounds. This hatchery stocked 51 sites, the majority located on the Great Lakes.

— A cooperative teaching hatchery at Lake Superior State University in Sault Ste. Marie stocked 19,285 Atlantic salmon weighing 1,849 pounds into the St. Marys River.

Some hatcheries will also provide fish for a few additional stockings — consisting of brook trout, Atlantic salmon, walleye, lake sturgeon and muskellunge — to be made this fall. The lake sturgeon will come from the cooperative hatchery in Tower, Michigan, that is operated with Michigan State University.

According to the DNR, these efforts bring an estimated $4.2 billion into the state’s economy and help support a Great Lakes fishery valued at more than $7 billion.

The public is welcome at any of Michigan’s state fish hatcheries to see the fish rearing process firsthand. For more information, go to Michigan.gov/Hatcheries.

The DNR reported this Upper Peninsula activity:

Keweenaw Bay/Huron Bay: Anglers reported successful jigging and trolling trips. Anglers who chose to jig found lake trout and lake whitefish, and had the greatest success in the morning, using natural baits. Anglers who were trolling found salmon and lake trout all through last week. Earlier, anglers found more fish near the lower portion of the water column, but as the week continued and a south wind was present, more fish were caught in the top 50 feet of the water column.

Traverse Bay/South Portage Entry Canal: Anglers were jigging and trolling with some success. Trolling anglers found Chinook salmon, coho salmon, brown trout, rainbow trout and lake trout. Successful fishing trips occurred during all times of the day but were most heavily concentrated in the mornings. Anglers who were jigging found fish on the edges of drop offs and were most successful using cut bait.

Little Bay de Noc: Walleye anglers reported success both trolling and casting, with crawler harnesses being productive trolling. Casting anglers used jigs with live bait or jigged rap-style baits, using electronics to help locate active fish or to determine viability of certain areas, including south of the Ford River, “black bottom,” Minneapolis shoals and near the Escanaba River mouth. Smallmouth bass anglers report fair fishing with some top water action in the early morning and dusk hours. Perch were also reported in the head of the bay.

Manistique: Salmon anglers reported catching small Chinook salmon, as well as large adults, due to favorable wave conditions. Steelhead trout have also been caught using lines set higher in the water column. Anglers report best success with spoons and flasher flies combos.

Marquette: Lake trout were caught jigging or trolling around White Rocks and out towards Granite Island, with the most successful boats catching fish near the clay banks west of Granite Rock. Both Chinook and coho salmon were also reported. Anglers trolling north of White Rocks reported catching steelhead. Watermelon, green and orange Spin-n-Glo spoons and green/silver flasher flies have been successful. White plugs or chartreuse and silver jigs have worked well near the northeast side of White Rocks, especially with cut bait.

Au Train: Lake trout fishing was good, with most boats catching near their limit in only a few hours. Anglers reported success trolling or jigging in approximately 160 feet of water north to northeast of Au Train Island, especially when using cut bait. Larger lake trout were caught while trolling in deeper waters around 160 to 180 feet north to northwest of the Au Train Island in the flats before the 400-foot shipping lane or out toward the Laughing White Fish Clay Banks.

Ontonagon River: Fishing was good on the river last week. Anglers reported successful trips throughout the day with a preference for early mornings. Walleye were also reported. Anglers had more success jigging than trolling.

Ontonagon/Silver City/Union Bay: Lake trout were caught in good numbers, with occasional coho salmon also being reported. Anglers had the best luck in finding fish when trolling deeper waters.

Black River Harbor: Angling efforts were low in the harbor last week, contrasting high recreational boating. Average reported catches were of lake trout in fair numbers, primarily found by anglers while trolling deeper waters.

Alger County: Anglers reported catching lake trout west of Grand Island. The Forest Lake Basin was reported to have high numbers of bass. Some lake trout reported near Munising.

St. Ignace: Anglers targeting Chinook salmon caught them off the southeast corner of Mackinac Island.