Instructions for unloading your trout into your pond.
First, find a deep area or at least an area with no or very few weeds.
Weeds, and shallow area warm up very quickly and can be 70 degrees or more very early in the spring.
Use a thermometer if you have one and take the temperature of the surface of the pond as well as the water in the tank. You need a temperature difference of not more than 10 degrees. The closer to the same temperature the better.
If you do not have a thermometer; put your hand in the pond water, if it feels warm to the touch; it may be 70 degrees already. If not, scoop up ½ of a bucket of water; from the pond and put 2 or 3 trout from the tank into the bucket. Watch their behavior closely, if they get very excited and do some twitching they are in to warm of water. (Too big of a temperature change can shock or kill trout).
If the fish in the bucket are not acting stressed; laying on their sides or basically trying to get out of the bucket; take the bucket to the pond and throw the bucket of water and fish into the pond.
Watch their behavior; they should take off swimming after only a couple of minutes to catch their breath.
If they skitter on the surface or lay sideways for quite a bit of time; then you will need to temper the water in the tanks so that it will be less than 10 degrees difference in temperature between the water in the tank and the water in the pond.
Drain about 10-20% of the water in the tank; slowly add ½ of a bucket of pond water and wait about 10 minutes. You should do this about 3 or 4 times before you try the 2 or 3 fish in a bucket a second time.
If they swim away they are OK. (Brown trout will drop to the bottom and not move around too much for a while). You can replace more water, very slowly, of course in the tank if needed.
They do not acclimate to a new water temperature very quickly, you need to take your time and give them 30 minutes or so to adjust to the 3 or more buckets of water from your pond.
Add more water, wait longer if needed.
By now they should be ready to be unloaded. Use ½ bucket of water from pond and add small bucket of water (1 gallon) to the bucket and then use the dip net to add fish to the bucket. It will take quite a few buckets.
If the water is cool and you don’t need to add pond water you can also use the dip net and unload the dip net into the pond instead of using the bucket; a helper is recommended to hand the dip net to.
Drain the tank down to about a foot of water when the trout are getting hard to catch.
When there are not too many trout left in the tank; turn off the oxygen bottle and remove the aerator setup. Then proceed to drain off more water and catch the remaining trout.
The biggest concern of course is the surface temperature of the pond.
Anything over 70 degrees could kill the trout very quickly; if you do not temper the water temperatures to within 10 degrees of the pond surface temperature and the water in the tank, the trout may become shocked and not survive the stocking procedure.
If you have a spring in your pond; that is the best place to put the trout; into the coldest water available.
Drain the tank close to empty; ( if you leave a small amount of water in the tank it is OK ) or slide it out of your vehicle and tilt to empty; without dropping it on the 2” drain or drain valve (larger tank).
Return the tank with the lid secured, smaller tanks; and the larger tank as well.
Make sure the oxygen bottle is secured; and will not roll around in your pickup truck.
Removing the oxygen regulator and aeration setup is preferred. Store safely and do not allow the regulator to roll around.
Quit a few individuals utilized these tanks last year; 2014 and had great success.
Spring Creek Trout Hatchery LLC 