Today we’d like to introduce you to Robert Judd.
Hi Robert, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My father was looking for a relative. Stopped to ask for directions. Found out the business was for sale. Two weeks later we moved from Reno Nevada. That was in 1979. I went school for aquaculture at the college of southern Idaho. I started managing the farm in 1994. Slowly I have been working on improving the environment for raising fish by turning the raceways from earthen to concrete. The old Woden hatchery building has been modernized and updated to a concrete building and aluminum tanks. The buisness has grown from doing about 50 thousand a year annually in sales to now over 250 thousand a year in sales. Part of the growth has been through updating the facility. The other part has been through Improving the water column. The free flowing spring water is now only about 1/3 of the water flow why 2/3 of the water flow is now recirculated. Looking to take sales to over 350 thousand in 2026.
Pride ourselves on production of quality rainbow trout and bonneville cutthroat trout and their hybrids. Sales consist of 60% live stocking of fish for recreation. 20% is throng catch out sales. 20% live egg sales to other trout producing facilities.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has not been smooth. Largest hurdle has been the regulatory environment. The governmental regulations control how when and where we can sell fish
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Sell live fish all over the US. Have never failed a fish health inspection. Have been raising our strain of rainbow trout for 113 years. We call our strain or rainbow trout as “Spring Lake Rainbow Trout”
We pride ourselves on service, fast growing mixed sex trout.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
Due to regulatory environment the industry will continue to shrink. My estimate is that producers will be reduced by 25%.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.springlaketrout.net
- Other: Google buisness
