Burton Trout Hatchery

Super staff. Came out and taught us a lot about the history of the facility, raising trout from eggs to release, and what it takes for trout to be healthy in the rivers from oxygenation, water flow to temperature. They raise brown and rainbow trout. For safety purposes and to protect the fish, only the closest raceway can be viewed. It's great for kids and adults to learn and see the pride the men and women take in raising and protecting this resource.

So glad that we are able to see this type of animal husbandry. It is open to the public, the picture in the collection gives the times. Not much else to say other than go and take a look. Trout from fingerling to fry to full grown. It takes 12 to 14 months for the trout to grow to legal size (7 inches). During this time, trout are fed three to five times per day, and they grow quickly. Rainbow trout usually mature at age 3 to 5 and grow to about 6 to 16 inches long, and can live up to 11 years.The natural habitat of the rainbow trout is the cool waters of the Northern Hemisphere, but the trout have been introduced throughout the world.

An example of Hatchery Operations
Flowing water for the Hatchery is captured at water intakes located on the property and piped to the various raceways and hatching facilities. The hatchery maintains its own strains of brook and brown trout broodstocks.These fish are spawned each fall and the eggs are incubated to the eyed-egg stage when they are transferred to the Hatchery for final hatching and rearing to "fingerling" size (approximately four inches in length). In late spring, the fingerlings are returned to the hatchery for grow-out to "catchable" (10-inch) size. During the grow-out phase, hatchery staff feed trout a prepared diet that supplies the complete nutritional requirement for optimum growth. The hatchery staff also samples groups of trout monthly to monitor their growth rates, feed conversions and health conditions. By monitoring trout closely, employees are able to make weekly adjustments to the amount and frequency they feed trout, as well as alter the water flows and oxygen levels. By late winter, the trout reach their target stocking size of 10 inches.

Stocking Operations
The stocking season begins annually in March, when hatchery-supported trout waters are closed to fishing for re-stocking, and continues through November. Trout are loaded on specially designed trucks that provide water recirculation and aeration, then transported to their final destinations where they are released. Each load of trout contains 40 percent brook trout, 40 percent rainbow trout and 20 percent brown trout. Four percent of each load consists of "big trout" that are at least 14 inches in length.

Lots of birds to see. Great location and fun for the family with a fishing pond available.

It turned out to be a very rewarding experience. The gentleman we spoke with was very, very informative as to how the hatchery operated. He couldn't have been nicer!

Love this place ...great place to take the kids

Very cool!

Me encanto muy buen pescado

Nice hatchery with friendly and helpful work staff. It sits on the bank of Lake Burton, and Moccasin Creek flows along the side of the hatchery before it dumps into the lake.Only two race ways were open to view on the day I was there. I'm guessing it was because of maintenance on the other ones.

Hatchery itself appeared to be closed. They do have a special fishing place kinda with it for those under age 11 and over 65 that area appears to have some trout and perhaps some bass.

You would think as many trout as there is there,they would stock more in there advertised fishing pond .I have been there twice stayed over an hour each time no one caught any . This place is paid for by Ga. tax payers and fishing license holders
stock more fish there it's not hard to do.

Website says open Monday through Friday, but they are actually closed to the public.

Drove 30 minutes only to find out this place is closed due to construction until February 2021. Found out from the sign board at moccasin state park next door.