Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose rainbows full of eggs

we have caught a few rainbows that are full of eggs. They are in a .6acre pond, no spring but we do have an aerator and do get fluctuation of levels from a incoming ditch when it rains. were told the rainbows would not produce, but they are full of eggs and wondering if they will try to spawn this fall. I suppose even if they do, the fry will be mostly consumed by the adults and hbgs. anyone with similar situation and know what's going on here.

Unfortunately they will not spawn. The eggs will get reabsorbed into their bodies.

Every year I find that my trout are filled with eggs or milt. I've never seen any evidence of spawing.

Ken

If they do not absorb their eggs, they may try to spawn. The odds of their success is minimal. Trout require very clean pea size or so gravel with current, high water quality and high DO levels to successfully spawn. If some miracle did occur and they did successfully spawn, most of the eggs would probably die because of a lack of those conditions. If another miracle occurred and the eggs did hatch, as you mentioned, the predators in your pond would most likely clean them up quickly. Many trout streams that have great trout populations would not have them if not for fingerling stocking. The YOY and 2nd year trout make great food for larger trout and other predators. Few streams have habitat needed to rear young trout but do have habitat for bigger trout. Brook trout are the only trout I am aware to successfully spawn in ponds and even that is a rare pond with unusual circumstances.