PICTURED: Trout getting a chilly reception to their new home
Some new camp residents arrived last week with the addition of 70 Rainbow trout (Donaldson strain). When the trout arrive from the hatchery, they are 9-11 inches long.
This strain of trout come from a selective breeding program began in 1932 with the desire for a fish that grows faster, grows larger and fights harder similar to a fish caught in the wild. Additionally, their reproductive process is improved beyond their natural counterparts but does not help them here at the camp pond as they require the moving water from a stream or river to spawn. That said, with the dredging of the pond to 9 feet deep a number of years back, they are able to survive the frozen cover of winter ice which can reach up to 2 feet thick.
So keep an eye out when you’re at the pond this summer for the Rainbow’s swimming or jumping for a meal. For those beginner or seasoned fishermen, enjoy the challenge of catching one while remembering the catch and release policy of camp should you have the good fortune of reeling one in.
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