Trout Production in Prairie Ponds

Abstract

Experimental plantings of rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) in prairie winterkill lakes commenced in 1968 to test the feasibility of their commercial production. These trials were highly successful and by 1970 a small but rapidly expanding trout farming industry had been established. Trout planted early in the spring as 5- to 8-cm long fingerlings grew to marketable size (200 g minimum), without supplementary feeding, in the 6-mo period of open water that prevails in this region. Recoveries as high as 86% of the fingerlings stocked have been achieved and the quality of the trout produced is usually excellent in flavor and color. These experiments are continuing to improve management techniques and to determine the long-term productive capacity of pothole lakes. Three serious problems — summerkill, muddy flavor, and harvest inefficiency — are also subjects of continuing investigations. Use of prairie winterkill lakes as nursery ponds for production of advanced fingerlings of walleye and whitefish for use in resource-enhancement programs has also been tested with considerable success.