Here is my first year experience with a put and take trout pond. I am in NW Ohio and last year stocked 35 RBT with no other fish in the pond other than FHM (heavy swimming traffic as this is the social gathering place of the neighborhodd in the summer). Stocked them in the last week I think of Sept last year and had a harvest party in May. What a blast and worth every penny!
Areation all winter so open water to feed in the coldest of weather and for the most part they fed on pellets all winter except that the amount and vigor reduced on very cold days.
On average we estimate they put on 1.25 to 1.75 pounds in seven months. I just restocked 40 RBT a little bigger this year and I will be feeding less more often as I would like to keep the growth rate to around 1.5 pounds as I found the large growth rates just really led to big bellies and less actual growth.
Anyway I am hooked from now till the day I am tossing feed from my walker in Jan or until I leave for parts with palm tress there will always be trout in my pond over winter. Really breaks up the duldrum.
Good luck.
Thank you for sharing your experience. It certainly sounds like fun. How big is your place? The guy at the Ava fishery recommended 100-200 pounds (at 1#/fish) for my little 2.2 acres. Seems like a lot to me.
