Stream Trout stocked in a lake that will not support them

My son was ice fishing with his buddies last night and he lost a rainbow trout at the hole. At first I thought he was nuts because there is no way they will survive in that lake for multiple reasons, turbid, shallow are just a few. I learned that apparently fisheries people dumped 15,000 (or so) in there this past Fall.
Since I dont target trout often, I had to wonder why the DNR would do this? Was it just because they needed a place to put them? There are other lakes in my general area that get stocked with stream trout regularly wondering why they didnt just dump them in there? Thoughts?

Maybe food for whatever else is in the lake, and if some make it consider them a bonus????

finman wrote:

Maybe food for whatever else is in the lake, and if some make it consider them a bonus????

Could be. I know the lake has been extremely busy this year and I am pretty sure if they are being caught most dont know the regulations
I told my son after this that the season is closed now so dont try to keep any if he does actually get one. He was only in 6 feet of water and he said it was thrashing around so much he thought he had a huge pike on. LOL I havent caught one in years, but man do they fight.

Is the lake considered a “Put and Take” fishery?

munchy wrote:

Is the lake considered a “Put and Take” fishery?

I suppose so for like walleyes. The lake does have history of winter killing and had one a handful of years back and they had to restock it will panfish, walleyes, etc. There is reproduction for walleyes, but limited due to water quality, but the panfish seem to do fine.
I more or less thought it was strange they put them in there and not just put them in one of the other lakes that receive stocking. Perhaps that would have been too many to support? Not sure.

Many of the trout lakes I fish max out at 20′ deep, with a few being 12-15′ only. You would be suprised what brookies will live in…
Ive fished in some that are so stained you think it is a miracle a fish can even find your hook.

Fall is traditionally clear out the hatchery time. Why they didn’t put them in a more viable lake is anyone’s guess. Maybe experimenting?

Does the lake have a designated trout stream running into or out of it? If so, I’m not sure why they wouldn’t put them in the stream, but just curious.

ThunderLund78 wrote:

Does the lake have a designated trout stream running into or out of it? If so, I’m not sure why they wouldn’t put them in the stream, but just curious.

Historically there “were” designated trout streams in the area, not sure if the one that flows into this lake is/was one of them. I looked on the DNR website and even the ones I knew “were” designated trout streams, because I still see the signs, none of them are listed as a trout stream. So, I am guessing they de-listed them or something.
Regarding even if they were designated trout streams still, they flow through almost 100% of private land so stocking them would bring little if any benefit to anglers. I think they may have just had an excess or something and dumped them in this lake for people to harvest. The amount of people out there ice fishing is astounding this year.

Iowa has urban trout stocking in small community ponds/lakes and they do well – even in poor water quality and 20′ or less. Trout make great prey for other fish as well. Trout stamps pay for the fish stocked.

There’s some stocked ponds by the Minnesota river across from St. Peter that I would fish time-to-time growing up. They would get stocked a couple times per year from what I remember. During high water years, the river would flood that area and other fish got in – the whole area is basically a slough in the flood plain. This was years ago, but someone was telling me they watched the DNR stock it one year and there was at least one large Pike (probably several) that had taken up residence in one of the ponds. It was conditioned to basically park itself in a foot of water right by the shore as soon as it heard the splashing of the fish being put in. The trout coming off the truck were disoriented as soon as they hit the water and that thing would just chow down on the easy pickins. I gotta think at least a few fat nords come out of stocking pods every year loafing around and eating fatty trout. Would be a great life.