Fish, Wildlife and Parks is seeking comments on a draft environmental assessment (EA) proposing to stock tiger muskies in Ackley and Martinsdale reservoirs.

Ackley Reservoir covers 226 acres in Judith Basin County. Martinsdale Reservoir is 946 acres, stretching across the Wheatland and Meagher county line. Both water bodies are used for irrigation storage.

Ackley is stocked annually with 30,000 fingerling fish (3-4 inches). Other species present include brook trout, brown trout, longnose sucker, mountain whitefish, and white sucker.

Martinsdale is stocked each year with 70,000 fingerling rainbow trout, supplemented with up to 7,000 westslope cutthroat trout when available. Other species present include brown trout, longnose sucker, mountain whitefish, and white sucker.

Stocking the reservoirs with tiger muskie would help the rainbow trout fisheries by controlling the sucker populations and providing an additional trophy fishery.

Tiger muskies are a hybrid of northern pike and muskellunge.

A draft EA on the proposed stockings is available for public viewing on the FWP website: http://fwp.mt.gov

On the website, go to public notices, then environmental assessments and species stocking.

Comments can be sent to: FWP, Attn: Fish Stocking in Ackley & Martinsdale, 215 W. Aztec Drive, PO Box 938, Lewistown, MT 59457; or to clsmith@mt.gov

Comments must be received by 5 p.m., May 16, 2014.

(Report by Montana FWP; Photo via gilflyfishing.com)