Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose Single-Species Trout Pond?

Hi Everyone,

My wife and I are about to purchase some land (10-20 acres) in the area of northern Virginia or West Virginia, and are planning to construct at least one pond there. We are debating different ideas for the species we like. We are not fans of bass or bluegill, and can't stand to be within 100 feet of catfish, so naturally one option that came to mind, is trout.

the plots among which we are deciding are between 2,000' and 700', with most being around 2,000' in altitude. Many of them border streams from which we could get water, but the lower two are completely forested, and also have large changes in altitude, so for us to consider trout there we would need to tap into land up higher to find a spring, and then drill horizontally to have it run downhill to create a stream to feed the pond, also generating spawning habitat for the trout.

We would keep all other fish out of the pond, and would not stock forage fish, as those, I gather, are direct competitors for trout, especially young ones. We would introduce crawfish and various invertebrates like scuds to the water as forage, but would just basically leave the trout alone.

My question is whether, with the right conditions (moving, cold water year round), one could expect to have a good, reproducing population of trout for which we could fish? I grew up in central North Carolina, and still remember how effortless it was to go to these farm ponds that had been built a century ago, stocked then with bluegill, bass, and crappie, and forgotten, and catch massive numbers of good fish.

Is it feasible to expect that with the proper site preparation, we could expect to have a pond that when left on autopilot, would consistently produce good numbers of reproducing trout like one would expect from a warm-water pond with fish like crappie?

Thanks in advance?

I am shooting for a very similar goal just in a different location. From everything I have found over the years your best chance at naturally reproducing trout is Brook Trout. Not a big deal to me as I think they are maybe the prettiest fresh water fish there is and they are also, in my opinion, the best tasting trout. As far as reproduction for Brook Trout. The great thing about them is even if you don't naturally have what they want to spawn on, you can build spawning boxes they will use to spawn. There is not another species of trout that makes it so easy. IMO

PS - there is a back issue of the pond boss magazine that has an article on building spawning boxes for Brookies.

Brookies sound great, and I have that back issue for just that purpose. With good spawning habitat and no fish competition, can one expect to have an abundance of Brook Trout in a pond that would be similar to the great numbers of bluegill, crappie, and bass that you get in a warmwater pond?

In the natural Brook Trout lakes in CO an abundance is exactly what you get. They actually tend to overpopulate and stunt. I would imagine water temp will possibly be your biggest issue. While Brook Trout are the easiest to get to reproduce they also require the coldest water. If you have cold enough water they might be perfect!

Really? That is great news that in ponds without flowing water you still get great recruitment with the Brookies! I realize that temperature is the main concern, and I am wondering whether anyone here can tell me whether 2,000' altitude, surrounded by trees, a pond in the Shenandoah region would stay cool enough for Brookies?

Unless fed by a cold water spring, temps will likely become lethal in the summer months....I think Brookies still need to spawn in running water, but can do well in deep, cold lakes.


fun brook trout facts (like not actually a trout) https://news.orvis.com/fly-fishing/fish-facts-brook-trout-salvelinus-fontinalis