Trout
The Trout (Oncorhynchus Mykiss)
Trout are cool-water fish and live in waters that remain below 72 degrees within 4 feet of the surface year-round. Lakes or ponds that are spring-fed may be able to sustain large populations of these fish.
If your pond does not meet these requirements, you may stock rainbow trout in fall and harvest by late spring. Call us to discuss which options might suit your pond or lake. Species of trout for pond and lake stocking include Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Brown Trout, and Tiger Trout. Tiger Trout are a hybrid of brook and brown trout species and are sterile.
The rainbow trout is a hardy fish and an aggressive eater, so a large forage base should be established before or during stocking. However, this species readily takes to commercial fish food, making its diet easy to supplement.
The pelleted food can be fed through the winter, as the live rainbow trout will continue to feed and grow in these cooler temperatures. This activity will also provide the angler fishing opportunities in the offseason. Spawning occurs in early spring on gravel beds of inlet streams. Without these tributaries, spawning is rare.
How To Buy Trout
Smith Creek Fish Farm is centrally located in Western New York about an hour's drive from Buffalo and Rochester. The hatchery and retail pond supply outlet have seasonal hours for fish pickup and walk-in customers. When you buy live rainbow trout, our expert fish packers will oxygen bag your fish for easy, safe, and stress-free transport.
We do suggest bringing coolers or totes to hold your bagged fish. Truck delivery of trout, game fish, and forage is available in the WNY area when orders meet our delivery minimums. We also safely ship, by UPS Next Day Air, many of our fish species including triploid grass carp and crayfish.
Unfortunately, we ONLY ship fish to New York addresses. All of our fish hold current NY DEC certified disease-free Health Certificates and have been for more than 15 years.
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