Even though the 2022 season is in the books, planning for the 2023 season has been well underway. Our stocking program is something we like to take care of early, while the water is cold and it’s far less stressful on the fish. Oxygen is abundant on cold water as opposed to warm water. The fish's metabolism also slows in the winter, which allows them to acclimate to their new environment much easier.
We have a number of trout coming the first week of January and the specific species are shown below. Brook, Rainbow and Brown trout will all be stocked in addition to Tiger Trout. A tiger is a cross between a brook and a brown trout and are occasionally found in wild trout streams. This hatchery began breeding their own Tiger Trout as stockers. All of the trough come from a hatchery in Brevard, NC.
Rather than only stocking trout, we are adding a few more fish species. Some of these are a food source for our larger bass population while others are being added to increase the diversity of fish in the lake. As the lake warms in the summer and the trout stop feeding, there will be other species available that survive better in warmer water temperatures. You can see those species listed on the first invoice, shown above. These fish are coming from a private hatchery in Alapaha, GA, about 250 miles south of Highlands. Stocking of the Club’s lake and ponds is currently set for the 1st week of January. I appointed Billy Brooks, longtime Highlands CC employee and dedicated Greenkeeper, to head up the stocking program due to his love for all things fishing! He has a passion for it and takes great pride in what he is doing.