Buford Trout Hatchery

Buford Trout Hatchery

Buford Trout Hatchery is open from 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM daily.
Visitors are welcome and can:

view thousands of trout in the hatchery rearing area,
walk along the Hatchery Nature/Bird Trail,
fish in the Family Fishing Pond, or
take the weekly hatchery tour at 1:00 PM each Saturday.
The Hatchery Rearing Area

Visitors can view up to 1,000,000 trout that are being reared for
stocking into Georgia's public waters.
The hatchery rears brown trout (Salmo trutta) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) for the Georgia Wildlife Resources Division's stockable and fingerling trout programs. The trout range in size from just a few inches long to the "Show and Tell" fish, which weigh more than 10 pounds.
The hatchery produces trout for Georgia's traditional stocking season, the Delayed Harvest and "Big Fish" programs, as well as a number of fingerling stockings.
Rainbow trout economic impact analysis (external U.S. Fish and Wildife Service site)
The Hatchery Nature/Bird Trail

Visitors can walk along the Hatchery's Nature/Bird Trail. The trail
offers visitors the opportunity to see a number of bird species. The
hatchery is located below Lake Lanier and adjacent to the Chattahoochee River. The hatchery's proximity to the river draws large numbers of transient and breeding song birds.
The trail terminates in a boardwalk and viewing platform that overlooks a beaver swamp. Waterfowl and occasional upland birds can be viewed from the platform.
The Family Fishing Pond

The family fishing pond offers catch and release fishing for small
bluegill and catfish. Visitors are asked to register before fishing and
to record the number and species of fish they catch.
Anglers are welcome to bring their own fishing equipment, and the
hatchery has a limited number of loaner cane fishing poles.
Children (under age 16) may fish for free, but adults and teens (age 16 and older) must have a valid Georgia Fishing License. Anglers must bring their own bait.
Bream can be caught on #8 hooks, very small bobbers, and 6-lb. test
line. The best baits for bream are worms (red wigglers), small dough
balls made from white bread, and crickets.
Catfish can be caught on larger #6 hooks, larger bobbers, and 6- or 8-lb. test line. The best baits for catfish are night crawlers, commercially available stink baits, or pieces of hotdogs.
Picnic tables at the Family Fishing Pond are available for anglers
or hikers.

Hatchery Tours

A weekly hatchery tour is offered for the public at 1:00 PM each
Saturday.
Visitors will learn about the trout reared at the hatchery,
how the hatchery works, and will be able to feed fish.
Tours last from 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Self-guided tours are available for some school/educational, church, scout, and civic groups. For details, call 770-781-6888.