Manchester Fish Hatchery

22693 205th Ave.
Manchester, IA  52057
563-927-3276
563-927-5736 (fax)

Species reared:

            Brook Trout                                  Brown Trout                                Rainbow Trout

The trout hatchery, located 4 miles SE of Manchester, Iowa has a long and storied history.  The first fish were produced here in the 1890’s and until 1976 was operated by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service at which time it was given to the state of via a land trade.  Since 1976 it has functioned as Iowa’s trout brood stock station where trout are spawned, incubated and hatched annually to produce over 600,000 fish for stocking in Iowa waters.  The hatchery is staffed with four permanent personnel:  Dave Marolf (Biologist & Manager) and three technicians:  Ken Linderwell, Tom Rohde and Randy Mack.  The facility also functions as the Iowa DNR NE Regional Office for Fisheries, Wildlife and Law Enforcement.

 Station activities include:

• Spawning, incubating and hatching of three trout species: rainbow, brook and brown
• Rear and supply fingerling trout of all species to both Big Spring and Decorah hatcheries
• Rear fingerling trout of all species for annual put-and-grow stocking program
• Rear and stock catchable size rainbow and brook trout for Iowa’s stream and urban put-and-take programs
• Building, grounds and equipment maintenance
• A myriad of public relations duties including:  Guided tours, public speaking presentations, multi-media contacts, school career days, educational science class assistance and fish clinics

 
From left to right:  Hatchery Technician - Randy Mack
Hatchery Technician - Tom Rohde, Hatchery Technician - Ken Linderwell,
Hatchery Biologist - Dave Marolf