Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Trout

Good morning, Bob. I don't have a lot of experience with trout in ponds, but have occasionally worked with them. I think I'll provide some initial information, and then we'll see if any more experienced members can add further comments.

First of all, the rainbow trout has tremendous genetic diversity. There are strains that will spawn in spring or fall. Some strains grow faster than others. Some are more vulnerable to angling than others. Some will eat more insects while others will be more piscivorous (fish eating).

The time of spawning is often influenced by water temperatures. For spring-spawning rainbows, spring can be April or July, depending on elevation, temperature, etc. Once eggs are spawned (buried in gravel nest or "redds"), how long it takes to hatch depends on water temperature. The warmer, the faster the development process. Too warm, and they don't survive. Maybe someone from the Quebec area or the New England states can provide more likely dates and durations??

Fall spawning rainbows bury their eggs in the redds, and the eggs actually overwinter at those cold winter water temps. The eggs don't hatch until the next spring when water warms. That way, the young fish emerge into increasing food supplies (e.g., insects).

Now, having talked about spawning, let me address a concern that I have about your final question. Generally, we don't expect rainbow trout to spawn in ponds. My best information is that the only way this is likely to happen is if you have a spring (constant inflow of ground water) in a gravel vein, or something like that. In such circumstances, the rainbows may spawn. Now, this is pretty much what I've been taught, but my actual experience is limited. In western South Dakota ponds, the rainbows simply do not reproduce. In my brother's ponds in Wyoming, the rainbows only reproduce in a pond with a small, inflowing stream.

Hope this helps, and hopefully we'll get a little more input.

Dave