Pond Boss
Posted By: Gambusia Brown trout and ponds - 03/09/11 09:08 PM
I know brook, rainbow and cutthroat trout can do well in ponds but what about brown trout?

Can they live in small ponds?
Posted By: vaheelsfan Re: Brown trout and ponds - 03/09/11 09:31 PM
Brown trout can live in ponds but a lot of people suggest not stocking them because they can be more difficult to catch. They also have a reputation of eating smaller trout. Most trout will, but browns seem to do it more than others. If all of your fish are close to the same size that shouldn't be an issue. If I had a pond that could hold trout year round I would probably stock some browns in it. The one at my house now won't hold trout through the summer so it's strictly put and take but I am considering stocking some browns in it this fall. The guy I bought the rainbows and goldens from this spring said he'll have some available then, but they will be on the small side at only 7-9 inches so I'll probably only stock a small number of them to see how they do. While rainbows and brookies are easier to catch it's not like browns are impossible. In my experience they don't take to prepared baits much but can be caught on lures, minnows, and worms, it just takes a little more effort than with other trout.
Posted By: Gambusia Re: Brown trout and ponds - 03/11/11 05:22 PM
It think it also depends on whether the brown trout are hatchery raised or wild fish.

Wild brown trout seem to be harder to catch.
Posted By: adirondack pond Re: Brown trout and ponds - 03/11/11 05:35 PM
In 2009 I stocked brook, rainbow, and brown trout, when fishing for them I caught brooks and rainbows but never caught a single brown.
The only way I got them was with my fish traps, so it appears even hatchery BRNT are wary.
Posted By: CJBS2003 Re: Brown trout and ponds - 03/11/11 11:12 PM
When I stock them in the creek behind our hunting cabin, I usually catch the browns first. They are far more aggressive towards spinners compared to rainbows. Once they are hooked and released once though, they become very tough to catch again...
Posted By: Greg Grimes Re: Brown trout and ponds - 03/12/11 07:07 AM
Brown trout have been in limited supply in these parts. Since we are near food fish operation ( Western NC) the rainbows are much cheaper. However in the past we have done a decent amount of brown stocking. In ponds MUCH more difficult for most pondowners to harvest. Folks stock them becaue they are told they survivie better. Yes a couple of degrees (debatable) but if in a put and take situation where they are not going to oversummer rainbows easier.

Gambusia yes they can live just fine in ponds. If you can keep over the summer try some out for diversity.
Posted By: Todd3138 Re: Brown trout and ponds - 04/15/11 02:37 AM
Originally Posted By: jackcool1
Typified by the fact that the brown trout is largely freshwater fish, while the sea trout shows anadromous reproduction, migration into the oceans for a large part of his life and return to freshwater only to spawn. Also there able to live in small ponds but there needs must be satisfied.


Getting closer to relevance. Er, on second thought, maybe not.
Posted By: CJBS2003 Re: Brown trout and ponds - 04/15/11 09:30 PM
Originally Posted By: jackcool1
Typified by the fact that the brown trout is largely freshwater fish, while the sea trout shows anadromous reproduction, migration into the oceans for a large part of his life and return to freshwater only to spawn. Also there able to live in small ponds but there needs must be satisfied.


I'm lost too...

Brown trout can be landlocked or anadromous. For those not knowing what anadromous means, basically it is a species who generally spends most of its adult life at sea and only enters frestwater, generally rivers to spawn. There are instances of brown trout that are land locked and those that go out to the ocean and come back to their natal rivers to spawn. These trout are often called "sea run" trout or "coasters".

What this has to do with the original post I am not sure?
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