Warm water in Langford Lake held back the fish release this year.
About 2,000 rainbow trout swam into the lake Oct. 4.
Being cold water fish, Brian Martin hatchery manager for Freshwater Fisheries Soceity of B.C., likes to release the fish once the summer temperatures have dropped.
In the summer the water temperatures can rise up to 22C and at the hatchery the fish are used to 10C waters.
“Warmer water has less oxygen and it’s hard for the fish to breathe,” Martin said.
Currently the lake is about 18C. The water in the transport truck was set at 14C to help the fish adapt to the warmer waters.
In the coming weeks another 3,000 will be added.
The fish are catchable sized about 225 grams and 12 inches long.
