Equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from Programs of the Missouri Department of Conservation is available to all individuals without regard to their race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability. Complaints of discrimination should be sent to the Department of Conservation, P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102, or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 18th and C Street NW, Washington D.C. 20240. About This Area Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery is the largest trout-rearing facility operated by the Missouri Department of Conservation. The hatchery includes a visitor center, where the public can learn more about trout culture, aquatic life, fishing, and the Missouri Department of Conservation's role in aquatic resource management. The center is open throughout the year and is free of charge.
Trails are available near the hatchery for hiking and wildlife viewing.
They also provide fishing access. The Hatchery Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery produces between 350,000 and 400,000 pounds of trout each year. The remainder of the fish are stocked into other Missouri trout management areas. Construction of the hatchery began in 1957 and production of trout in 1958 with the completion of Table Rock Dam by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. This dam created a large, deep lake that varies in water temperature from surface to bottom.