We stocked tiger trout into a 3/4 acre pond east of Rochester, NY last year. The pond was excavated, material used to build a private road. The pond is about 20 feet deep. We bought and stocked 150 tiger trout, ranging in size from 10-14 inches long. We chose not to feed them during summer months. We thought it best not to attract them to the surface during one of the hottest NY summers on record. We monitored oxygen and temperatures weekly. Surface temps pushed 80 degrees with 5 ppm oxygen levels. But, at ten feet deep, temp was 60 and oxygen was 7-8 ppm. Then, last fall, as air temps began to drop, we set up a feeder and it wasn't long before the trout responded. Also, we stocked fathead minnows seven or eight times during the summer and fall, to supplement natural feeds.
Another lake on that preserve is 20 acres. Several types of trout have been in that lake for at least ten years. Deepest water is 32 feet. Trout live year round, and feed voraciously all year, except the warmest summer months. There are rainbows, tiger trout, brookies and browns. The tiger trout, by far, are the easiest to catch.
While I don't profess to know much about cold water fisheries, these two short term experiences have given some short term insight into the fish.
The larger lake has about 60% rainbows, 20% tiger trout, 15% brown trout and 5% brookies.
