How to Create a Habitat for Trout With Large Rocks

Trout do best when their habitat contains plenty of hiding places. Whether you are creating a better habitat for trout in a pond, a river or a stream, the trout will be healthier and grow faster when stress levels are reduced and they have places to spawn. You can do this in a natural and aesthetically pleasing way with large rocks.

Things You'll Need

  • Boulders and large rocks
  • Work gloves
  • Plastic sheet
  • Garden hose or bucket
  • Stiff cleaning brush
  • Gravel
  • Wheelbarrow
  • Aquatic plants
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Instructions

    • 1

      Clean the boulders. Trout are sensitive to any contamination and rocks can carry traces of toxic chemicals, salt and pathogens, especially if you retrieved them from somewhere else on your own land rather than from an aquaculture supplier. Place the boulders on a plastic sheet and wash thoroughly with water from a hose and the brush. If you need to move them in a wheelbarrow, clean that as well.

    • 2

      Add a thick layer of gravel to the pond or stream, if this does not already exist. Trout dig shallow holes in gravel to breed in.

    • 3

      Put the rocks in the wheelbarrow and wheel to the pond or stream.

    • 4

      Position the rocks. Ideally arrange them in semi-circular patterns to create pools the trout can swim in and out of.

    • 5

      Add aquatic plants to further improve the habitat. Submerged plants need to be weighted down.

    • 6

      Introduce the trout, if you were adapting a pond for trout rather than enriching an existing trout pond or stream.