This post is out of sequence...before Irma came, we took one of our day trips to the state fish hatchery nestled in a wooded valley in Mountain Rest, close to the North Carolina state line. Constructed in the 1930's, it is the only trout hatchery out of the five state fish farms. Ever since I was a young girl and visited the fish hatchery in Hackettstown, NJ, I've enjoyed going to hatcheries during our travels.
Did I mention it was off the beaten track on a very winding road?
But, we found it.
In this building, the eggs of rainbow, brook, and brown trout are incubated until the "fries" become "fingerling" size, about two inches in length.
The fingerlings are then released into the "raceways" (growing tanks) which line both sides of the walkway.
Workers continually clean the raceways and feed the trout.
The fish created quite a stir during feeding.
Once the fingerlings reach around nine inches, they are removed and released into coldwater streams in the upstate counties. Some are stocked in the nearby Indian Creek River which runs into the Chattoga River at the entrance to the hatchery. Here visitors are free to get a daily catch of five trout each.
There is also a trail which leads to a picnic area and fishing pier
But, Bob and Roscoe were back at the truck, and I didn't feel adventurous enough to continue farther into the woods by myself.
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