Preliminary Observations On The Establishment Of A Reservoir Trout Fishery

A sport fishery for rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) and brown trout (Salmo trutta) was created in the lower one-third of a 38,000-acre Oligotrophic reservoir. Maximum temperatures of 70° F. and a minimum of 3 p.p.m. oxygen were evaluated as criteria for establishing this "two-story" fishery. Stockings of 8 - 10-inch trout were made in the winter months and weight gains were up to threefold in a six-month period. Food utilized by the trout was primarily the threadfin shad (Dorosoma petenense). Movement of the trout did not exceed ten miles from the stocking locations, and a majority was caught within five miles.