The Montana Story: Forty Years of Success

In 1974, Montana did something that stunned anglers across the state and the nation: it stopped stocking trout in streams and rivers that supported wild trout populations. After decades of use and millions of dollars invested, hatchery production was not helping, and in fact was the leading cause of the collapse of the fishery. Ground-breaking research on the Madison River in the late 1960s and early '70s organized by fisheries biologist Richard Vincent led to that decision. His study results showed that as hatchery production increased, trout abundance decreased, and native stocks were displaced.
Nearly forty years after Richard Vincent's study, Montana is one of America's premier trout fishing destinations. Focusing on habitat and discontinuing river hatchery stocking, trout fisheries have recovered and wild populations are self-sustaining.
On the anniversary of this monumental decision, Wild Fish Conservancy presents The Montana Story: Forty Years of Success. This is the first volume in a series of short videos called the Wild Fish Video Journal. This educational collection is an extension of our printed Wild Fish Journal.

[@BobHeine777]

Excellent. And true. Now we have politicians pushing for Federal money to keep national hatcheries open under the pretense of fighting for "conservation funding". Shut down the hatcheries, use the money on habitat, and let science, not politics manage trout streams.

[@johnjones2970]

Very persuasive. Note the comment he made though, " The first years we stopped stocking native brown trout stocks doubled, rainbows almost as much.". Yea right = a miracle in less than one breeding season -almost overnight in fact. Doesn't happen like that does it.

[@bitterneman1586]

John Jones but it happened *exactly* like that. The scientific evidence said so.

[@ScottyMeegs]

Catch and release only... just saying. Im from the North east, people pretty much follow the stocking trucks around and just take all the trout home after they hit the water. Honestly, how much food can you get from a 9" stocker!?!? we dont have to fish for survival anymore.