Steelhead Trout

Rainbow trout are hatched and raised at a local hatchery in Ossipee. Here, they swim in long raceways with flowing freshwater. At eight months of age or 10" in length, they can be transferred to growout cages in the ocean. Trout have the remarkable ability to acclimate from freshwater to seawater and can tolerate a wide variety of temperatures. Once in seawater, they are referred to as steelhead trout. In warm coastal waters, steelheads can grow to five pounds in seven months.