I'm going to be putting trout in my ponds at some point. When is the best time to do that? Here in the PNW, it doesn't get all that cold in the winter. We may have a week or so in the twenties, but normally in the 40's and low 50's through the winter with overcast sky and rain. So when is the best time to do this? I know that if I put goldfish in now, they will seek the deeper (8') part to stay warm, hence avoid the Herons. Would they also reproduce in the winter? This is all new to me...
Thanks,
Bill
Fish for your pond
Equilibrium
Dec 04, 2004
North American Trout are cooler water fish. They really don't work well in ponds as they are more of a stream fish. The other concern is how they earn a living. They hunt by site and smell. You have a very nice depth to your pond. There are many other nice native fish that would be more appropriate for your particular situation. I am afraid the choice of the trout might result in massive fish deaths.
Another consideration would be the goldfish you want to add. If you have any type of carp in that pond, they will muddy the water thus making it virtually impossible for any native fish that hunt by site to be able to survive. Carp are notorious for making a mess of ponds.
Here's a site that you might find informative-
http://nativefish.org/
http://www.nativefish.org/Links/
If you reach out and contact a few of these places and pose your questions, I can assure you someone from your local area will help you make the best decisions for you even if it is abandoning native fish enitirely in favor of stocking your pond with carp. You might also want to contact your State Department of Natural Resources and see who is on staff. That depth of 8' is fantastic and can accommodate many species. There are people who are out there who will try their darndest to help you.