A fingerling is a young fish, typically between the length of your finger and the length of your hand. The name comes from their small size: they're about as long as an adult's finger, usually 2 to 6 inches.

Fish hatcheries raise fingerlings to stock lakes and rivers with fish like trout, bass, or salmon. These young fish have grown past the tiny fry stage but aren't yet full-grown adults. A hatchery might release thousands of fingerlings into a lake in spring, where they'll grow into fish that anglers can catch years later.

The word also describes a type of small, slender potato. Fingerling potatoes are narrow and oblong, shaped somewhat like thick fingers. Chefs prize them for their creamy texture and thin skins. You might find them roasted with herbs at dinner, their golden-brown skins crispy on the outside.

When a conservation group releases fingerlings into a stream, they're investing in the future, knowing these small fish will grow, reproduce, and help sustain a healthy ecosystem for years to come.