CPW stocks around 115,000 trout in Eleven Mile every year. 

Here's something you don't see every day! If you love going to your local reservoir and reeling in the trout, you may have wondered when and how those beautiful fish are stocked, we've got a few answers thanks to the Eleven Mile State Park.

On Thursday, February 27, the Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) stocked the reservoir with 11,000 cutbow trout, raised at the Mt. Shavano Hatchery, and made an incredible video about the process (plus, you get to watch fish shooting out of a tube into the water). Check it out below!

"The Mt. Shavano Fish Hatchery stocked 11,000 cutbow trout into Eleven Mile Reservoir on Thursday, and another 7,000 Friday. The cutbows, a mix of Bel-Air rainbow trout and Snake River cutthroats, are raised at the hatchery until they are 10 inches in length and then stocked through the ice. CPW stocks around 100,000-115,000 catchable (10-inch) trout in Eleven Mile Reservoir each year," said the Eleven Mile State Park Facebook page. 

CPW stocked 45,000 trout in December and over 44,000 in January. The agency says there will be one more stocking at Eleven Mile in March.

According to officials, the fish are stocked in the winter for several reasons. First, it helps the fish avoid predation right from the get-go. The highly predatory Northern Pike are generally hanging out at deeper water in the winter, so they aren't at the surface during release and right after. In addition, the fish are stocked at about 10 inches in size, so they will come out of the winter about 12 to 13 inches in size—big enough to hopefully deter pike. 

Interestingly, it costs about $1.15 to a 10-inch fish, according to the hatchery, but each fish generates about $36 for the economy. Now that the 2020-2021 fishing season has arrived—fishing licenses were available and valid on starting March 1—the fish are ready and waiting!

What is your favorite state park or reservoir to fish in? Let us know in the comments!