How to Raise Trout in a Pool

Current trends indicate a burgeoning public interest in processes foods go through before they find their way to the dinner table. For the home owner opting for a more self-sufficient, homegrown lifestyle, a garden pool is an excellent facility in which to raise trout̵2;a delicious, healthy and lean source of nutrition.

Things You'll Need

  • Pool
  • Rainbow, brown or brook trout
  • Food
  • Mechanical aerator
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Ensure your garden pool is at least 8 feet deep, maintains an average temperature of 40- to 65-degrees Fahrenheit, and is a minimum of one year old ̵2; the decay and breakdown of new organic matter will consume a significant percentage of the oxygen in the water, making it difficult for trout to breathe. Once the pool has settled, select the specific breed of trout you wish to raise; it is safer to avoid mixing breeds in the same pool. Brook trout, rainbow trout and brown trout are all hardy breeds that are abundant in North America and have a delicate flavor.

    • 2

      Ensure the water contains a suitable amount of oxygen by installing a mechanical aerator or a motor to recirculate the water, allowing it to re-enter the pool from a small height. The amount of trout you will be able to raise depends entirely on the size of your pool. Start with fewer trout and increase the number in subsequent seasons, as your experience teaches you what volume of trout your pool is able to support. Overstocking trout may lead to a lack of oxygen in the water.

    • 3

      Stock your pool during the spring to allow at least a full year for the trout to mature before they are caught and eaten. Introduce the trout during the fall in areas with harsh winters, so the fish become more rapidly acclimated to the temperature.

    • 4

      Purchase trout feed as a nutritional supplement to food found naturally in the pool. Most pools contain a sufficient amount of nutrition in the forms of insects, bugs and larvae. Feed the trout at the same time every day, if possible, as consistent feeding patterns are beneficial to their metabolism.

    • 5

      Monitor trout on a daily basis, as this is the most efficient means of preempting potential issues. Trout gathering around the aerator or waterfall may suggest a lack of oxygenation in the rest of the pool, as may trout swimming with fins out of the water. Secure a net over the top of the pool to safeguard the fish from birds of prey or other mammals.