It has been a long time since I updated this post on our trout stocking. We are into our third year of stocking trout in four lakes. Our POA fishermen enjoy the action as weather cools off in November.
Three ponds are catch and keep if you desire. First pond is five acres and we stock 100 trout in November. This pond has a floating gazebo so everyone enjoys fishing from the dock. Second pond is a smaller 3/4 acre pond that we stock initial with a 100 fish in November and then restock in late December with 50 more trout. This pond can be accessed from around the entire shoreline so our fly fishermen love it.
Third pond is about 2 acres and we stock 100 trout in November and another 100 in December. We install the ice eater each winter to keep the water open. We also feed on this lake everyday. Our trout have typically grown from 12 inches to 16-18 inches by March and from 14 ounces to almost 2 pounds. The feeding makes catching them more difficult so they tend to grow fast.
Our third BOW is a 236 acre lake that has over 100 feet of depth. Last year (Nov. 2021), we stocked with 300 trout and had several feeders going. We made this lake catch and release only since we believed the deeper water would allow a sustained population to grow. Anglers were catching 3+ pound RBT in July from 25 feet water depths. This year we stocked 400 trout and have been feeding them from only two feeders. I never would have thought of ladder stocking RBT. We are catching several trout in the 2 pound range which we believe might be from this past Novembers stocking. Waiting to see if someone catches a 5+ pound rainbow in the next year.
Would recommend stocking RBT in your ponds to allow angling year round!
