58
OXFORD, NJ – The Division of Fish and Wildlife’s Pequest Trout Hatchery staff concluded the 2021 Rainbow Trout spawning process with a total take of 1,988,407 eggs, exceeding their goal of 1.6 million eggs. All the eggs were taken from the Hatchery’s 3-year-old broodstock.
A total of 776 female rainbow trout were spawned with an average egg per female rate of 2,562 eggs per fish. Pequest’s rainbow trout eggs hatch in 28 days in 52-degree spring water.
The first take of 431,000 eggs hatched last week at a rate 73%, which is an exceptional first-hatch percentage. Hatchery staff will be busy hatching fish every Friday until the end of October. These fish will be stocked in the spring of 2023 when they reach their target size of 10.5 inches.