Ennis National Fish Hatchery

Ennis National Fish Hatchery is very different from most other hatcheries. Most hatcheries produce fish of various sizes and then stock these fish in public lakes and streams, providing anglers with hours of fun. Ennis Hatchery, however, operates as a brood stock hatchery. There are only three rainbow trout brood stock hatcheries in the nationwide Federal hatchery system.A brood stock hatchery specializes in rearing fish to adult size, then taking eggs from those fish, incubating them, and shipping them to production hatcheries where they are hatched and the fish raised to stockable sizes. The Ennis Hatchery currently has six strains of rainbow trout. Broodstock may grow 32 inches and weigh 25 pounds. Once the fish are no longer needed as brood stock, they are transported and released in public waters where anglers may test their skill at landing a big fish.You are welcome to visit Ennis National Fish Hatchery. The Hatchery is open 7 days a week. Hatchery staff will normally be available to answer your questions. There is a small visitor center in the building, and an outside display pond with rainbow trout weighing over 20 pounds. The pond also has blue and albino rainbow trout. Visitors are invited to walk around the raceways where most of the adult trout are held, and visit the Hatchery building where eggs and small fish are reared. Group tours are available if scheduled in advance.Visitor center is open in the evenings.