In our year two update, we showed that severe drought during the previous two years had dropped the level of a pond by several feet. There hadn't been enough moisture for 18 months going into the second winter. The pond evaporated more water during the severe heat than could be replaced by springs. The springs that fed the pond had their volume of water reduced when the aquifer that feeds the springs was not kept full due to drought. The drought seemed to be doing well, but there was concern about what might happen during the winter. Would the fish become too crowded? Would the reenofoxygen for the fish? We did some ice fishing throughout the winter, resulting in no catches, not even a bite. Several weeks of temperatures to 40 below zero made the ice depth 30 inches. In April, the pond finally filled for the first time in 18 months. Multiple attempts to catch the fish using their favorite lures resulted in no hits or catches. We decided to restock the pond. We purchased 150 camloom strain rainbows and may. The fish averaged four inches long and weighed an ounce or two. We stocked the fish the third week in May when there are massive fly hatches. Although the primary food in our pond is freshwater shrimp, when the trout are this small, we wanted to make sure there were billions of nymphs and flies for the fingerlings to gorge on and get a great start on growth. In July, after 60 days in the pond, I decided to check and see if the new fish were big enough to be hooked by a spinner. The fish were big enough and were already 8-9 inches long, weighing 6-8 ounces. Two months earlier, they were the size of one of your fingers. After catching several fish, I was stunned to hook this large trout. I quickly pulled out my self-blunder or the end of the fight. It was a 21-inch, 3.6-pound two-year-old camloom strainbow. Getting it started off today with this panthered Martin. The tribal hooks were switched out for a single hook. These tend to inhale whatever is thrown their way. To keep from damaging them, we're going to single hooks on our spinners. In September, after 100 days in the pond, I returned to check on the fish again. Here we go. This is one of the camloom strainbows. Stock this spring, when it was 4 inches. This fish is 100 days in the pond. Beautiful fish. It's about 10 inches long. 10-11 and over half a pound. Here we go. Small buddy. Beautiful colored fish. There are some steelhead strainringos in here that are 3-year-old. But they would be in that 3-pound range by now. They also have a lot more darker spots on their backs. These camloom are more green. Steelhead will be more of a blueback. Now one more cast. I'll check the fish once more before the pond froze over. In October, I was impressed that the girse the fish put on over the summer. Here we go. Last cast. A lucky one. Just in the weeds, I thought you got me off. You've grown well, buddy. Nice. Like your sisters here. Nice and broad across the shoulders. Three months. One just to this. A Christmas grandkids visit. And the last check of the year on the trout was made. So far, there's no indication that more than one fish from the original stocking has survived at this point. I can only imagine what it would have been like to have a little one full of 45-pound trout by now. Nice one. Look how fat and pretty it is. Why, that's a good one. Yeah. Be sure to check for the four-year update next year by subscribing to the Wildlife Channel and turning on notifications. Links to the previous updates and the building of the pond are in the description below.