3 Years: How Big Did Our Rainbow Trout Grow?

[@blfzhn7716]

I grew up in Lewistown. Home was upstream from town. Two things I miss every day… my dad, and Montana. Very fun stuff to watch.

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

My place is 3 miles upstream.

[@blfzhn7716]

Just before the “y” in the road that goes to the state hatchery, look up the hill. Last house. I left in 1987 for the military and married my High School sweetheart. I have gone back to fish and see old friends a few times. I’m in WA Now. Nice place you have there.

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

@@blfzhn7716 I'm about a mile east of Brewery Flats and a mile north of the golf course.

[@jamesstepp1925]

A perfect example of why we need to bring back beavers large scale. Beavers slow water from leaving the land, letting it seep into the ground instead and recharging water tables and aquifers. Droughts suck, droughts suck far worse without beavers.

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

We had a beaver arrive in this riparian zone last spring. I was hoping that it would create dams and wetlands upstream. Instead, he kicked out muskrats from their den in the pond's bank and became a bank beaver. He's cut down more than 20 large aspen trees and only uses about 20 percent of a tree before cutting down another. I'm beginning to lose the tolerance I had when he first arrived.

[@jamesstepp1925]

@@TheWildlifeChannel2022 He must not be on running water like a stream or river tributary. They do have that behavior when on a pond or lake. Probably needs to be relocated.

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

@@jamesstepp1925 A spring stream flows through the pond to a world-class trout creek 500 yards downstream when the aquifer is full. The state classifies it as an intermittent stream. Currently, springs feeding the pond are running about 30 gallons per minute. The upstream drainage is only about 500 acres, so runoff is mostly limited to snowmelt in March and occasional thunderstorms in the summer. This area normally receives about 20 inches of precipitation a year. Pretty dry, and the past 3 years were extreme drought. The drought was broken in 2023, aquifers were filled, and streamflow was back to normal. Water flowed through the dam all winter. The trout stocked last spring survived the winter. If we have several years of normal precipitation, there should be some large fish again.

[@jamesstepp1925]

@@TheWildlifeChannel2022 Well sir good luck to you, wish you the best. Happy fishing!

[@hardworkingamerican8847]

Wynonna and Her Big Brown Beaver

[@yep.fishing]

Brilliant, appreciate the effort of documenting it

[@MurrayRichard-h1f]

Might what to wet your hand before you touch your fish it will help protect your fish they look good have fun with them

[@davidwalesby2426]

i noticed on a lot of catch an release videos with wild trout that nobody wets their hand any more, must have been a lost over time to do thin, it helps prevent fish from getting sick from missing skin an scales so please wet your hands first, there are specialty gloves out there.

[@lordoflys-1]

Really a great channel. I'm 70 and have learned a few things. I assume that all your hooks are barbless. The large ice trout in this video was stunning.

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

We use single gamikatsu circle hooks coated with pink ceramic to look like a minnow swimming off with a worm. The barb is bent down with pliers. The fish love yellow, pink, and red.

[@elkarlos814]

Nice. My Uncle had some awesome trout ponds when I was a kid. Super cold spring-fed but they never spawned. I never even noticed any fatness from eggs. Maybe they were sterile? Maybe drop a GoPro in the water and row around to get a decent count. When the ice is off, of course. Take those barbs off and your fish won't get beat up.. Oh and if you're going to eat them, don't feed them any commercial feeds like Purina trout chow. It totally changes the flavor.

[@foxbodyboys4483]

Kamloops strain are awesome to catch. You might want to get yourself a throat pump so you can see what the fish are eating. I would put money on the main food source is chironomid nymphs. You should try stocking brook trout they seem to do better over winter. Awesome video!

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

My hatchery suggested the same thing about Brookies. I plan on putting some in next month.

[@michaelsalazar7331]

I love these updates. It's sad none of the original fish survived. They'd be huge for sure. Hopefully this next batch sees good conditions and grow huge

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

In this video, it shows a 3.6-pound trout that is one of the original fingerlings. We don't know if there are others. I hooked another large trout that broke me off, but don't know if it was the same one. Sadly, the pond isn't full of 4+ pound trout now, but two years of drought took its toll. We still hope to produce a 10-pound trout sometime! We only need a few normal summers and winters in a row.

[@samurai_8917]

@@TheWildlifeChannel2022 I wouldnt count on weather being normal in the year 2024, weather variations and swings are only gonna get worse sadly

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

@@samurai_8917 The fall of 2023 was above-average precipitation. The winter of 2024 was above average. This spring is above normal. Only need an average summer and fall, and I think the pond will be OK.

[@sandychips9186]

@@TheWildlifeChannel2022maybe try seeing if you can get a well down deep to keep pond levels okay in case of emergency. Idk about the geology there tho to see if it’s possible

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

@sandychips9186 It's possible, and we are considering it. A good aquifer is less than 100 feet below ground.

[@benjamincresswell3713]

Old guy here, I once read a story about fish kill from low Oxygen. The snow came early for that year and too much snow covered the lake. So they spread ground up coal on it and it melted enough during the sunny days to give the plants enough sunlight to bring the Oxygen level back up. It was a very big lake so maybe what they did won't make sense on a small pond due to pollution. But I wonder if there are some kind of floating Black plastic balls that you could spread in the winter and reclaim/ recycle when it melts. Just wanted to chime in on the low O2 issue. ben/ michigan

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

Great idea! I know some cities use a gazillion little plastic balls to keep water from evaporating in reservoirs. I actually wondered if it might be possible to rig up a dozen bouys with solar powered underwater grow lights. It might work, and it would look cool at night with them glowing under the ice! Ok, basement inventors build a prototype, and I'll test it. I'll post a video about it on this KZbin channel.

[@breannathompson9094]

@@TheWildlifeChannel2022 would there be any good plants to introduce to the pond that are noninvasive and hardy on oxygen production?

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

@@breannathompson9094 Native plants were introduced to the pond from a nearby spring creek. They are great oxygen producers. Our problem seems to be ice so thick and covered by snow, that it can kill some of the plants that break down and cause toxicity. I think getting past severe droughts and having normal winters will help.

[@EducatedSkeptic]

Great pond, great story, fabulous trout (especially for the grandkids to catch!). Have you considered raising the height of the dam on the pond, so as to catch more of the spring runoff and increase the overall water depth? Could help to more easily carry you through those hot dry summers when rain is sparse.

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

One thing that I'm considering is drilling a shallow well, the pump powered by solar.

[@EducatedSkeptic]

@@TheWildlifeChannel2022 Could help, but I'd worry you'd be just tapping into the same water that supplies your springs. The solar-powered pump is a good idea. But I'd suggested the higher dam because it would trap more runoff from snowmelt and heavy rainstorms, that otherwise would be flowing downvalley from your pond site. It would be a net gain of water for your system, and help to recharge that groundwater as well.

[@rogerdudra178]

Greetings from the BIG SKY. Nice lookin pond. The fish look great. I'm in Lewistown.

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

I built this pond south of Lewistown

[@rogerdudra178]

@@TheWildlifeChannel2022 Some time I'll check it out.

[@derekmay8679]

Lovely video...Like what you're doing there... Trout are finicky fish concerning their conditions...They don't like warm deoxygenated water for long,or too cold ...without getting a higher morbidity rate...unfortunately I think that's nature ... Maybe some added oxygen pumped in throughout the warmer months , and some extra depth for winter,where they stay at a more level temperature... But they'll find a natural stock density on their own whatever ... I'd love the opportunity to have such a beautiful place myself. Good luck and hope it goes well for you ...

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

When the pond stays full, it is 17 feet deep. For two winters, the pond did not remain full. There should be plenty of oxygen when spring water flows through the pond in the winter. This past winter, the pond remained full and flowing. It seems that the past two winters the problem may be a lack of sunlight due to the depth of ice to 3 feet, along with snow on top of that. Without solar-powered underwater grow lights, I'm not sure that issue can be fixed. Hopefully a couple of years with normal stream flows and thinner ice depth, we'll see them survive better. Since the ice came off this month, test fishing shows that the trout survived. There will be an update next winter about what happened in year four.

[@derekmay8679]

@@TheWildlifeChannel2022 wow . 3ft of ice ...that's definitely it then...lack of light... We get nothing like that here in England...but we have a limited growth in our winters...and I'd guess our shorter darker days are part of it for sure... Those fish you showed looked super healthy though...so everything else must be tip top... Good luck with it all... If you can find it , I went to Sparsholt Agricultural University in Hampshire, nr Winchester here in England...They have a superb fisheries department and are involved with all aspects of fish farming ,fishery management and breeding.. from Trout to carp ,to tilapia and salmon etc...They may be of some help online .... Be lucky ,and hope the ice stays a little thinner for you...

[@christianbenedict5136]

Very cool

[@BB-bv6uq]

They certainly grow fast!

[@mkb3580]

Pretty cool

[@steventrostle1825]

NICE!

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@danielrandolph9170]

Cool nice fish !!

[@seanflagg3442]

I've been waiting for an update! Bummer about your original fish! Summer of '22 was real hot and dry here in New Hampshire... 10 straight days of 90+ degrees plus no precipitation for almost three months led to all my large 4-6lb trout dying. We've since installed a windmill aerator and couldn't be happier! I'd recommend for you to get one yourself - especially for the winter.

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

I think our oxygen is ok. I think the problem was mostly thick ice and snow that blocked out light and killed plants. Will have to check with the biologist, but I think the problem for last winter was toxicity produced by dying plants. I'll have to check and see if there's a way to measure oxygen. Sorry for the loss of your trout. Many landowners around here lost their big trout during the summers of '21 and '22.

[@seanflagg3442]

@@TheWildlifeChannel2022 running an aerator in the winter will keep an area of your pond open which will essentially allow the pond the breath by allowing toxic gasses released by dead organic matter to escape. It will also allow sunlight in which will allow beneficial weed growth as well as creating oxygen. I don't have to worry about running our aerator in the winter because a portion of our pond stays open where a spring seeps in. Only thing with an aerator in a trout pond is you have to be careful where you place the defuser. Even if it's just a small unit it just needs to be enough to keep a small area open.

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

In most years, springs flow through a 4-foot diameter culvert under a road across the pond keeping a 30-foot diameter patch of water open. Last winter, there were 30 days with a temperature of below zero Fahrenheit. With no springs flowing due to drought, the ice was nearly 3 feet deep and the water depth was down 4 feet. That left a small area at the bottom of the pond only 8 to 10 feet deep with all the fish concentrated there. This winter, a great deal of spring water flowed through and kept that area ice-free. There were signs in February that lack of sunlight killed some plants during a period of 10 days with temps down to minus 45 for a couple of days though. I'm happy to report that the fish survived this winter!

[@AndrewThomson-r2v]

Enjoyed the video, great the fish are doing well, if you put, fish that size in a similar pond here in the UK with cormorants herons etc they wouldn't last long.

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

We have Great Blue Herons, but vegetation in water shallow enough for them to hunt keeps them from much success. We only see them occasionally. Ospreys are the main predators. The tall trees they perch in while looking for fish were cut down by beavers last fall. Bald Eagles sometimes fish too, but they were more dependent on the fallen trees than the Ospreys. There's no shortage of fish predators here either, but nothing like cormorants or pelicans! We estimate losses from all causes and restock each spring to keep the fishing great. Thanks for watching!

[@andrewcarlson2178]

​@@TheWildlifeChannel2022do the fish not spawn on their own ? I noticed the pond looked mostly mud. I know they need gravel to spawn.

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

@@andrewcarlson2178 These fish can't spawn. They're triploid, so sterile. All their energy goes into growth instead of trying to spawn. They grow bigger because of that. You're right, there's no gravel in the pond. The spring stream that feeds the pond has a sandstone bottom. Maybe brook trout could spawn, but not suitable for rainbow trout I think.

[@foxbodyboys4483]

Try triploid pasask rainbows & some Fraser valley rainbow strains for your pond you won’t be disappointed! To help your fish through the winter consider a little air aider.

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

I'm limited to what species my hatchery carries. They just got some brook trout fry, and I want to try them. The fish in this video are triploid Kamloops rainbows. My hatchery might get some excess eggs from the state, including DeSmet and Arlee strain rainbows. Hopefully, Westslope Cutthroat trout will follow.

[@foxbodyboys4483]

@@TheWildlifeChannel2022 those triploids penask (kamloops) strain can get up to 10-15lbs no problem. Where I live it’s very common to catch 25” 4-8lbs. Your pond seems very productive, if you put less trout in they will get a lot bigger faster. Do you have a fly rod?

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

@@foxbodyboys4483 Yes. That's what we use when it warms up. Scud and leech patterns are their favorites.

[@foxbodyboys4483]

@@TheWildlifeChannel2022 have you tried chironomid fishing? Floating line with a strike indicator? So much fun

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

@@foxbodyboys4483 Not yet. Will give it a try after it warms up.

[@gaylonknell5124]

My frind use to let me fish his bass pond one spring he asked me to not fish because he had planted trout and wanted to let them grow, well in the fall he said he could not find any trout, but the bass were bigger, one was about 7 pounds

[@imaflyinturkey9775]

Hmmmm I wonder what happened there..

[@theoriginalrabbithole]

Ever consider snorkeling in your pond to see what's going on down there? Seems a little more effective than guessing with a fishing rod. Even an underwater camera might get some useful footage, if you drop it down far enough.

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

We have tried that. There is so much phytoplankton that it's difficult to see more than three feet. The phytoplankton is great food for the shrimp, though.

[@kennethlindahl9206]

I cant wait till winter... I need monthly updates please ( gives ya a reason to catch a couple every month) I studied fisheries at Spokane Community College This is a dream to me

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

OK. I'll try to do several short updates before January and then do a summary of everything during the winter.

[@kennethlindahl9206]

@@TheWildlifeChannel2022 thx a lot

[@kennethlindahl9206]

subbed

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

It was my dream as a teen, too. It took 40 years to make it come true because to make it possible, I needed to buy the right property at the right place. I was in my mid-30s with 3 kids and one on the way. I always tell people that there's always a way. It comes down to how badly you want it. Instead of spending hundreds of dollars a month on vehicle payments, I put it into purchasing the right kind of land. If you have a life partner that shares your dream, it would be helpful with the process.

[@kennethlindahl9206]

@@TheWildlifeChannel2022 Never had a vehicle payment I buy older used rigs. Quite often broken when I get them, but I can fix anything but my own broken heart. That brings me to the other point.. If you have a good life partner thank your lucky stars. All the ones I was with put themselves over the relationship. I didn't even think of doing that. I seemed to lose more each time. I lost both my grandkids (long story) the worst part is not the the loss to yourself but to see your kid go thru that. My point is give them an extra hug.... your kids and your grandkids. If the fishing is good and the company is the same so is life have a great day and waiting for the next vid 😀

[@leroymorris6036]

good deal, not long to grow nice size

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

You got that right!

[@GeorgeMcConnell-nq3vd]

Was there a forage base already? Or did you spike it with something for them to feed on?

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

The pond was sterile when I built it. There's a spring creek 500 yards downstream. I took 5 five gallon buckets to the creek and filled them with plants and water. I used them to inoculate the pond and started the food chain. The buckets contained native plants, bacteria, water bugs, fresh water shrimp, and nymphs. There were also a handful of sculpins. This started the food chain. The first trout wasn't stocked until two years later. The food chain was well-being established before the first fish entered. Later, leeches were introduced by hitching rides on waterfowl legs.

[@myhalfacent7408]

Amazing sir

[@NESig]

Obviously they're eating well.

[@hardworkingamerican8847]

What about Brook Trout . They don't need a creek to spawn in just a cobbly bank on a section of pond , under the water of course . Not sure what state you are in but was wondering if you needed permits . You guy's are living my dream but I am close to buying land . Would love to have a trout pond that I could build .

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

We're considering brook trout because of how hardy they are.

[@matthew-ww6vs]

@@TheWildlifeChannel2022 temp is the most annoying thing with them

[@rr-sp5ii]

Brookies tend to overpopulation in small ponds

[@hardworkingamerican8847]

@@rr-sp5ii Then catch and eat more , win win .

[@redeyestones3738]

You should wet your hand before touching your fish. A dry hand will remove all the mucus membrane, and leave the fish with no defense against infection and disease

[@Tyler_WI]

I’ve never seen any data to back up this claim even though everyone loves to tell KZbin fishermen they need to do this. Maybe it exists?

[@ianstewart5297]

Would'nt hurt to dampen your hands.how would like to be picked up by something thats red hot ?

[@craigplatel813]

​@@Tyler_WIwell the Virginia DWR says to do it. So at least it's out there on at least one official site.

[@mikewhitman745]

​@@Tyler_WItry a textbook, maybe KZbin isn't the end all be all of information. It takes very little time to discover that the slime layer is crucial for their health.

[@ManicMindTrick]

Must be an abundance of food for them to grow that fast.

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

There is! Billions of freshwater shrimp, nymphs, and tiny leeches.

[@outdoorfreedom9778]

I was surprised that you don't have an aerator on solar to keep the pond oxygenated?

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

There's plenty of oxygen and very cold springs feeding it. It's also 17 feet deep and has tons of native plants generating oxygen. This is Montana and not a pond in the south or east that's warm and shallow with millions of fish using up oxygen. We keep about 200 trout in it and no other species. Problems since this pond was built have been from extreme drought for three years, and the past two winters have been extremely cold, creating 3 feet of ice for months, covered with snow. Lack of light has killed plants in those years. Last year and so far, this year is so far, normal. With a normal winter, we should be back on track. It's a lot harder to keep the right environment for trout than it is for warm water species in most of the country. Panfish and bass don't do well here.

[@westbenchmancave]

Kamloops trout? Kamloops? British Columbia? Canada? 🇨🇦? ❤

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

Yes. Officially, Kamloops trout are a Gerrard-strain of rainbow trout, indigenous to the fertile waters of British Columbia's Lake Kootenay, which is southeast of the city of Kamloops.

[@milomaturi8256]

I have a deep cold water pond that I stocked with 250 9” rainbows in the Catskill Mts, NY. The last caught trout was over twenty inches with a salmon hook lower jaw. That lasted 5 years. They never propagated, and this summer I intend to introduce small mouth. If anyone can get those trout to reproduce please let me know how it is possible… thanks

[@Robjay1795]

Trouts only spawn in fluent water with high oxygene rates.

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

Trout do not reproduce in a pond like mine or the stream that feeds it. The bedrock here is sandstone, not gravel. I'd stock new fish with a pond like yours to replace fishing loss and predation. That's what I'm doing. I estimate how many fish are lost to fishing, ospreys, bald eagles, and mink, and replace that estimated loss with new fish. This week, I'm buying 25, five-inch trout for what I think were lost last year. If 250 was a good number based on food in your pond, maybe add 50 or so every other year. You'll have several classes of fish after a few years, but that's ok. You'll always have plenty to catch.

[@milomaturi8256]

Thanks for the info, replacing trout is the only viable way to keep my pond stocked. It is mostly spring fed with a small stream that could stop flowing in drought conditions. It has a length of 800’ and I thought of building a series of shallow dams to create suitable habitat, but I’m not certain of a positive outcome. The area is a renowned for trout, where many of the smaller seldom fished streams have native brookies and the larger water ways are stocked by NY DEC. As of now the pond is thriving with an abundance of minnows, crayfish, sunnies, making it an exceptional habitat. This summer I’ll introduce small mouths native to the area and call it a day. Thanks for the input 🎣

[@Joe-bh4vz]

Need current and pea gravel.

[@waynerandles6126]

Have you considered introducing some crawfish if they aren’t already there 🤔

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

I have! I've got a couple of traps but I'm waiting until the water warms up in the creek I want to try. Probably June.

[@alanstrong55]

Sorry that Mr. Owner could not drill a massive deep well to replenish this water. Ground water must be a rarity. May 9 inches of rain come this weekend. Trout are tasty to the bone.

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

I am considering drilling a well with a solar powered pump.

[@gaylonknell5124]

In southern Idaho and northern utah the shrmp help trout grow fast and go from white meat to pink real fast

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

You're right! Meat like salmon from the shrimp diet.

[@dcongdon2294]

Thatsa good ah or GREAT

[@jamescrydeman540]

How was that strain arrived at? Engineered or Natural mutation? I would be interested to know.

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

Lok up triploid trout, and you'll be able to see what the process is. Some states stock them because they're sterile. They can't reproduce and crowd out native species by overpopulation. My state doesn't stock them. My state of Montana hasn't stocked streams and rivers since the 1970s. We do stock lakes and reservoirs with a variety of rainbow strains, some spring and some fall spawners.

[@davidford694]

You should have tried canned corn if you wanted to see if there was anything in there. Foolproof on our pond.

[@jamescrydeman540]

A strain of trout has been discovered in NZ which has extraordinary growth rates based on the fact that trout grow fastest whilst growing to sexual maturity then slows immensely by comparison. The reason for the greater growth rate is that most trout are sexually mature at three years, this other strain is not sexually mature until four years.

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

The original species we stocked was a steelhead strain of rainbow trout. I asked my local hatchery if they could get Kamloops (Gerrard) strain rainbow eggs because they grow big, fast. They were able to get them, and that's what we've planted since. Look up triploid trout. Ours are XXX (all female) trout that never goes through a spawning process. All their energy goes into eating.

[@scottulbrich5376]

Very healthy looking fish

[@Jim19826301]

Are you feeding them or did they grow that fast naturally?

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

All natural food. Billions of freshwater shrimp. Tiny leeches. Massive hatches from nymphs in the spring. Damsel and dragonfly nymphs in the summer. We plan to add crayfish this year so there is a bigger food source once the fish reach a pound and more.

[@budalanemac3115]

So you do feed them​@@TheWildlifeChannel2022

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

@@budalanemac3115 No

[@andrusaaliiy9267]

​@@TheWildlifeChannel2022Maybe stocking the pond with minnows or bluegill as another food source would be a good idea?

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

@@andrusaaliiy9267 There are native minnows called sculpins that they can eat when they get larger. I'm limited on what I'm allowed to put in the pond to native species because it's on a tributary of a blue ribbon trout stream.

[@harryberry474]

You should always wet your hands when handling fish you're going to release those are some nice trout. I'm currious why you're doing this planting for catch and release, or what? Hopefully you don't have river otters get in there they'll eat every single fish. My nieghbor has a large pond fed by a small stream and otters got in and ate every single fish in a short amount of time

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

Thank you. I will remember next time. We are mostly catch and release until the trout are large enough to filet. No otters here (yet). A few mink. Herons, Ospreys, and Bald Eagles fish here though.

[@patrickwentz8413]

Surprised very many of the fingerlings survived with even having one adult trout in the pond.

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

After catching the 3.6 lb trout in the video, I figured you might be right. We also lose fish to bald eagles and ospreys. We usually stock enough every spring to compensate for projected losses, including fishing. Because of that, we may have to go with 5 to 7-inch trout in the future.

[@DavesW]

Do you guys feed these fish? Seems like they wouldn’t have enough to eat otherwise

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

They have plenty of food. Billions of freshwater shrimp, about an inch long. Billions of nymphs of different kinds. They grow fast and fat.

[@DavesW]

@@TheWildlifeChannel2022 that’s awesome!!

[@arnoldswartz3315]

do you have an air raider ? is it a good idea to add one

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

@@arnoldswartz3315 I'm adding an aerator.

[@patrickscopas9133]

Were the new fish $770 each? Like salmon?

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

They were a dollar ninety each.

[@pureblood6310]

Put feeder fish in the pond!

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

There are sculpins in the pond. The biggest biomass of food that they have is ether freshwater shrimp or nymphs. I'd say shrimp overall because they're available all the time, while nymphs have their peaks and valleys due to weather and temperature changes throughout the year.

[@atatterson6992]

Why do you say you stocked 4 inch trout but your title is 3 inch trout?

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

The first stocking was 3 inches fish. Our latest release was a little bit bigger fish.

[@atatterson6992]

@@TheWildlifeChannel2022 gotcha, thanks for clarifying

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

@@atatterson6992 There's at least one of the original fingerings left. It's the large trout shown in the video.

[@mikegegg30]

Easy bro just want to help. Fish start to die witch will cause a problem.

[@maineoutdoorsman677]

Trout ,a salmon in our lake damrascortta lake put them in at 6 inches double in 6 months ,to 12 inches but salmon doubles installs

[@flyfisher2426]

Upgrade to fly fishing.

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

There's plenty of flyfishing in previous updates. Links are in the description. An update on year 4 will include some flyfishing, too.

[@Anti-Groomer]

You should tag some fish and then if friends/family come over you could announce bounties/prizes for the tags, like a mini fishing derby for the kids. Maybe even on each tag you can assign a 1-10 number - with larger fish getting higher numbers - and that way you could do a point system where each kid/participant can catch as many as they can within an hour or two and each fish score gets added up to see who gets the grand prize. Maybe put some easy to catch bluegil in and tag them so the smaller kids can catch some tagged fish.

[@Chris.Davies]

Nice, but please remember your hot human hands are like fire on the skin of a trout. Always dip your hands in the water before handling any trout you intend to return to the water.

[@mikewhitman745]

Temp doesn't matter when you are talking seconds, removing the slime coat does matter.

[@mikeoxbig1560]

That rod and reel combo is a cheap piece of shat.

[@dcongdon2294]

DON~T be a chickenshit dick!Keep being an azzehole.

[@Lollygagger-k4p]

Yup. Been using that stuff for 45 years. never had an issue. What's your's.

[@mikeoxbig1560]

@@Lollygagger-k4p what's my what?

[@zer0deaths862]

I hate snow. 🙂

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

Too much is definitely a problem.

[@comfortablynumb9342]

I'm from Florida and I hate it too. I hate the cold.

[@douglasdingwall1596]

How deep is the pond? I live lakefront, we have mostly largemouth, some smallies due local bass clubs dropping them in, I only caught one but they say they're catching them. We also have: chain pickerel, black crappie, bluegills, both yellow and white perch, bullheads and channel cats. I catch mostly largemouths and pickerel, maybe that because they are all I really know how to catch anything else is by accident. The lake is approx. 450 acres, springfed dammed up swamp, mostly about 6' deep with the deepest areas about 13'. All the fish are healthy, biggest largemouth caught by me was 24" long and weighed 8 lbs, bass 15"-18" are common as are 20" pickerel. Do you think trout might make it here? I really enjoy a variety. I'm in northern NJ doesn't get too cold but freezes pretty thick some years some years not so much. I don't know whether it would be worth time lobbying the lake assoc to stock trout. What do you think?

[@jackmoriarty5584]

With all those predators it might not be worth stocking trout. Even a 3-4 lb bass can choke down a 10 inch trout

[@douglasdingwall1596]

@@jackmoriarty5584 You're probably right. Just would like a few more suprises on the end of my line.There is a private lake in the next town over which has the usual pan fish, including largemouth bass and pickerel for opening day of trout season they dump a whole lot of trout nice ones 12"-16", I wonder if they ever have any holdovers.

[@TheWildlifeChannel2022]

Unless trout were stocked as adults (very expensive), they would likely be food for all the other predators. Farm ponds, with only trout, would be your best bet. If you don't know anyone with one, I'm sure there are pay lakes near you.

[@douglasdingwall1596]

@@TheWildlifeChannel2022 I've got stocked trout streams near by. I tried it this spring . I'm 70 y/o and traipsing through the woods standing on rocks, getting my line caught up in the trees is more of a pain in the ass to me. I guess I've become lazy by just walking out my front door hopping in my Coleman Crawdad casting plastic worms and catching bass and pickerel. I'm pretty good at that. Just came in from fishing a couple hours got 6 or 7...lost a few. Fishing from a boat is what I prefer.