Trout Sale

Pre-ordering for the 2025 Trout Sale is open! Order online at the bottom of this page, or print and mail a paper order form.

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Every spring we organize a trout sale as a service to our region and a modest fundraiser for our conservation programs. Stocking your pond with trout is a great way to provide food and fun for your family – and the wildlife! Many pond owners talk about watching osprey and herons prey on the trout in their ponds.

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But while stocking trout is fun and valuable, the far better way to support conservation and the recovery of our native fish populations is to improve their habitat. This means installing and maintaining properly-sized culverts (often much larger than what is currently in place), connecting habitat by removing dams, keeping sediment or chemicals from getting into streams, and planting trees and shrubs along streams to provide both shade and insects for trout to feed on.

 

Want help with a project to improve trout habitat? Contact the District! We may either have a program or be able to connect you with other resources.

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Details for 2025 Sale

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• Pre-ordering is open as of mid-December.

• Pickup will take place at 1 pm on Tuesday May 6th, 2025, at the Park & Ride at 48 Fairfax Road, St. Albans, VT.

• Delivery is likely to also occur on Tuesday, May 6th, but may differ depending on your location

 

Frequently Asked Questions

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Rainbow Trout can tolerate warmer water (55-65*F is optimal) and tend to be somewhat hardier. The rainbow trout is gamier than the brook trout, often leaping from the water to strike a fly and is also excellent eating. Rainbows can survive in stagnant water, have a longer life span and grow faster than brook trout, and can be handled for catch and release fishing.

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Brook Trout are native to eastern North America and require a year-round supply of cold, oxygenated water (45-60*F is optimal). The brook trout is generally considered a favorite game fish with its beauty, easy catchability and unrivaled table appeal combining to make it the highly reputable fish that it is.

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Generally, it is okay to mix different species of trout or trout of different sizes. In some situations, competition, limited feed, and cannibalism can destroy the weaker and/or smaller trout. Trout will eat other trout half their size or less. However, a healthy pond with plenty of insects and plant life will minimize any incompatibility.

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How many trout would be suitable for a pond? Pond conditions dictate numbers and species of trout to stock. The average one-acre pond with a depth of eight feet that stays full all summer with fresh water can generally support 300 trout. Any of several variables may advocate stocking fewer trout, the most important being a dropping water level during the hot, summer months. The warmer the water, the lower the dissolved oxygen content, so it is important not to overstock a pond if the water level tends to drop during late summer.

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Purchasing feed is generally only for fun. Trout will rise when you throw a handful of feed out and are fun to watch, but their best diet is native insects and plants.

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More information about ponds can be found on websites for the VT Fish and Wildlife Department: Wildlife Habitat Management - A Landowner's Guide and VTDEC Lakes and Ponds Program: Private Ponds. 

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