Kevin and I come here often, and it's become one of our favorite little happy places. It's such a peaceful and simple spot to spend some time together. One of the best parts is feeding the fish! They provide pellets for free (one handful), which makes it a fun and interactive experience. At the end of the fence, there's also a small body of water with larger fish and ducks, which is always nice to walk over to and watch for a bit. They have a shaded picnic table, an information board, and very clean bathrooms with sinks, which makes it easy to stay awhile and enjoy the space. Everything feels well kept and welcoming. If you're lucky, you might catch them feeding the fish, and it's honestly one of the coolest things I've been able to see here. Overall, it's a quiet, unique little spot that we keep coming back to again and again. Another simple stop that turns into a peaceful little memory for us. read more

See all

Been going here for over 30 years. Such a sweet, free outing that my kids have loved over and over again. Free entry and fish food. Free electric charging station. There's alot to see, like the giant fish vacuum, used to pull out the fish to stock lake. You'll see giant trout at the west end, not part of the hatchery, but gets populated when the hatchery is flooded. Spot cranes, ducks and wildlife. A fun Free stop off the 126 in Fillmore. read more

See all

Might say it a lot, which is okay - we love living in Ventura County. From most locations you can be out in the countryside within 10 to 20 minutes, and there's a lot to explore outside our cities and towns. The Fillmore Fish Hatchery is one of those places that you might forget exists in the county, but it is here a short distance from downtown Fillmore. Current open hours are 8:00 to 2:00 p.m. , per the sign at the entrance. It's a special resource to delight children while teaching them about how fish grow. When we were there last weekend there were hardly any other families there. We found buckets of fish food pellets available for guests to scatter to the ponds. Our 3 year old Sweet Granddaughter had a blast tossing the food to the teeming fish. She would giggle when they would splash and jump at times to get best access to the food. Nothing like a youngster's giggle! An adjacent pond provides home and shelter to a flock of ducks, so that was a two-fer on showing her creatures she can relate to in just one stop. Admission is free, which is also family-friendly. Great venue for visiting with toddlers to young school-aged kids. Their website indicates they're raising rainbow and brown trout to be released into Southern California lakes. It's managed by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. read more

See all

LOL...in my last review, I went on a rant aimed at some people while weaving in my thoughts about this place, but let me just get back to the basics: -This is a pleasantly fun and peaceful place -That costs very little money -To keep you and the kids and the family entertained -While giving back to the earth by feeding fish that will eventually end up in local water/fishing spots It's all wins all around! Bring a cup and a pocket full of dimes for the fish food! You're welcome read more

In 1871, trout propagation began in California on the San Leandro River near San Francisco. While the methods, philosophy, husbandry, and conservation efforts have changed over time, the basic concept has remained the same-- grow out trout To sustain planting efforts for anglers. The Fillmore hatchery supports the put-and-take trout fishery for many surrounding waters. These efforts indirectly affect other environmental factors-- on one hand, the largemouth bass and striped bass fisheries at Castaic for example are sustained by the input of trout into those waters. In other areas around California, however, the introduction of trout has been suspected to unbalance other populations of various taxa. Regardless of your environmental beliefs or politics, the Fillmore hatchery is a cool stop along the highway, particularly if you have kids in the car. There is no cost for admission, and a "gumball" machine provides free fish food pellets. The small fingerling trout start at one end of the facility, and as they grow, they get moved down the line. Once they are of a keeper size, they are placed into the truck and "graduated" to lakes and other waters around the area. There is a certain comedy to watch all of the hungry waiting birds outside of the gigantic mesh enclosure. Just west of the facility, the downstream area adjacent to the fence is a bird sanctuary... There are many species of waterfowl and wading birds. After stopping here with my son on our way home from a fishing trip in Santa Barbara, I had a couple of people come up and start asking me questions... I answered them to the best of my ability, but only after I got back to my truck did I realize they probably thought I was an employee as I was wearing my Department of Fish and Wildlife hat. I did a little volunteer work for the Department at kids fishing derbies and such, but I'm certainly not associated with raising trout! All in a days work... read more

See all

I have a lot of fond memories of the Fillmore Fish Hatchery. My mom and I used to take weekend trips to Ventura and would drive by on Highway 126 every time. We would always make a stop and check out all the little trout being raised. With several troughs thousands of feet long there is no shortage of fish to see. Fish of all different ages and sizes. It looks as if you could just reach in and grab them though I am certain that would be frowned upon. What you can do is put a quarter in the food machine and feed the trout. Throw a handfull of those pellets into the troughs and watch the frenzy. It is exciting as a kid when the fish start jumping out of their element. Having been there as an adult in recent weeks, I can say honestly it is just as much fun now as it was when I was a kid. Besides the fish in the hatchery you can sometimes find some escaped trout just on the outside in the outflow stream. There are often large trout swimming into the current getting even larger and stronger. They have to be to escape the beaks of some nearby herring waiting to dive into the water for a bite. You may even see some ducks and duck eggs in the water as I did. I still enjoy coming to the Fillmore Fish Hatchery but it has lost a bit of its magic over the years. The access road from Highway 126 to the hatchery is very worn and rough. The parking lot is not any better. Worst of all, the fish seem like damaged goods. There were several dead fish at the bottom of the troughs. There were even more with injured or missing fins. They are in a sad state. Maybe these are things I am just now noticing as an adult. read more

See all

Google said hatchery was open drove out to take my daughter since I would always come put to the hatchery and there's a sign that says closed and there's a cop sitting in the parking lot read more

What a neat little place! Feeding the fish is a ton of fun. This is the only time I have ever seen a vending machine that takes dimes. Bring a cup and plenty of dimes. The place can be hard to find, especially if you are heading west on Hwy 126. There are no signs to guide you and they do not have a numerical address. Enter Fish Hatchery Rd into google maps or your navigation. read more

Fillmore Fish Hatchery - Wildlife Control Near Me - Fillmore, California

See all

5 stars for kids. It's a pleasant diversion if you are driving by on the 126, and a nice drive thru Grimes Canyon if you are coming up over the hill from Moorpark. This is basically where they raise the Rainbow Trout they stock the various lakes around LA with, so fishermen (and fisherwomen) can catch them. It's a series of long rectangular tanks, they start the baby fish at one end, and every couple of weeks, they remove the oldest fish in a truck and move each remaining fish down one tank until they "graduate" to the big white truck and a local lake. For further details rent "The Lion King" and pay close to the Circle of Life. There is also a small adjacent bird sanctuary (see my pics). Normally, the only place you see an egret is in a crossword puzzle, but there were a few just outside the fenced in area. If you are going, bring a few dimes and an old paper cup. You can buy handfuls of fish food from vending machines. If you have kids, bring A LOT of dimes Otherwise there is no charge. You may want to bring a paper cup or baggie for the little ones to hold the fish food. If you are going it is a little east of Fillmore on Route 126. Look for the signs for Fish Hatchery Road. read more

See all

This is the first fish hatchery we've been to, so I didn't know what to expect! But it was such a treat and the perfect thing to do with a toddler! There are many long streams completely filled with fish. As we walked along one, the fish seemed to follow us as if they wanted to be fed, and sure enough they did! The hatchery has some machines that used to be coin operated, but they've since made them complimentary! Bring a cup and get some fish food and when you feed the fish they go nuts! I've never seen anything like it. It's so nice to have something that's interactive wit a toddler like this. They're not just looking at the fish but can feed them! On one side of the hatchery is a fence that has ducks on the other side. They want to be fed too, haha. There are bathrooms here as well which is nice. They're not the cleanest on the planet, but it's good to have them. While this stop isn't going to last an hour, it's just a nice thing to do and is part of what makes a very nice Fillmore Day Trip from Los Angeles. Start by visiting Bennet's Honey Farm and taste some local honey. Then hit the hatchery. Then go into town where there is a cool historical museum and you can show your kids large train cars! Ask whoever's inside the museum if they could let you in the caboose! Then you can visit antique stores around the corner! So it makes a nice little trip. read more

To be fair, my friend and I are easily amused. That and she had never been to a Fish Hatchery before. We spent the better part of an hour here. The vending machines do only take Dimes and you should bring your own Dixie cup. Neat place to walk around and feed fish. One down-side is RV parking was a bit limited on a Sunday afternoon. It wasn't impossible, just had to get creative. Will stop again the next time I'm in the area!! read more

The Fillmore Fish Hatchery is a nice stop for the family, slightly off the beaten path if you're far from the area but a good place to stop if you have kids or if you're fish obsessed. It's free, easy to access, and a cool place to see. There's a dirt parking lot and at the entrance there's signage which explains the breeding process. Its not much of a tour, but a walk through where you can see the open holding tanks which are sorted by trout size - there's also a food vending machine where you can get some fish food. It's free so please be considerate so that everyone has a chance to get some. Don't be that person that ruins it for others. I came here with my GF, her sister, and her niece. We ran into Deanna who was maintaining the tanks and she so graciously stopped and answered our niece' questions - she went above and beyond and even let her hold a fish that was in her bucket as she was explaining in detail about the whole cycle and what happens to the fish that died in the tank. My GF has been here quite a few times and she said that was all new information to her. Deanna is definitely a valuable asset to the hatchery - she's very knowledgeable and was very good with kids and even though she was obviously very busy, she didn't hesitate to make the time to teach our niece (and ourselves!). Note at the far right from the entrance, past the first row of holding tanks is a pond with huge trout so don't forget to take a look at those - try to see if you can spot the square face trout. Just make sure you note the hours as they are limited. read more

I love it here. They are open from 7:00am to 3:30 pm. Bring cups and dimes if you would like to feed the fish as there are little vending machines. Bring hand sanitizer. read more

Fillmore Fish Hatchery - Wildlife Control Near Me - Fillmore, California

See all

Fish and more fish. This stop was party of a fun field trip for kids, took a 20 minute train ride to get here. Lots of fish food was already in a bucket for the children, but the pellets also can be purchased from dispensers for 10 cents. There is also a duck pond with very territorial ducks. They seemed to fight each other a lot over food and personal space :) Bathrooms are near the entrance... make sure everybody washes their hands, the fish food smells worse than fish hahaha read more

A great family friendly spot . Bathrooms great clean and fun fish feeding. Great education for the kids. Thank you read more

Loved this place. Took my two boys here because we were looking for something to do and were tired of doing the usual thing. This was the best activity we could have asked for on a number of fronts. First, the kids loved it. From the moment we entered the place, they were giddy, running around, and just plain enjoying themselves. Second, it's free! In SoCal, it seems that every entertainment option involves dishing out cabbage. We spent about 90 minutes here and it cost $2 for food. Make sure you bring plastic cups and dimes to get the fish food. Third, the drive in is gorgeous. Fillmore is off the beaten path, but driving through the mountains was so enjoyable. The views were breathtaking. Couple of notes: Bring hand wipes if you plan to feed the fish - the pellets are oily The tanks are very long - if you have someone in your group that has trouble walking, consider bringing a lawn chair for them to relax in. There are public washrooms there, but exactly what you would expect from a public washroom... When leaving the hatchery, taking a left back on to 126 can be very difficult. Consider taking a right and turning elsewhere. They feed the fish in the morning - go early if you want to see the feeding frenzy. read more

Yelp decided to remove my prior review since I wasn't a "customer" which technically is not true. I have been here before. It's whatever. You can't do too much. I recommend any other place to go feed fish for a nickel. You'll be in and out in less than 10 min for a drive that probably took at least 30-40 min. It's very small. There's no one who you can ask questions or speak with. So here's your review of me as a customer. read more

This was the last stop on the drive home from an adventurous weekend with Schoolteacher. I had remembered this place was there, and decided to stop in and check out the assorted sized trout. We got out of the car, and walked the short distance to the rows of hatcheries. We had read the reviews, and had made an effort to acquire dimes for the food machines. I had two dimes, and no cup. Next time, we'll remember the cup. Two dimes got us plenty of food, but no cup meant we had to do our best to catch it in our hands as it poured out of the machine. We carried the food back to the edge of the waters, and began to throw pinches of food into the waters. As if they'd never eaten in their lives, the fish began to get agitated as they roiled and splashed about, obviously very eager to eat. We walked the length of the waters, watching as fish got larger and larger the further down we walked. Young and small fish at one end became larger and older fish at the other. At the end with the adult fish, there is a fence with a duck pond who are also ever hungry and completely willing to eat fish food. About ten minutes after we arrived, we were out of food, and out of dimes. We washed the fish food stench from our hands inside the nearby impeccably clean bathrooms, and then got back in the car. Once again, refreshed and eager to make the final leg of the trip back to Santa Clarita. This place is really neat. Completely free to enter, and it only costs you as many dimes as you want to spend to feed the ever hungry fish. I'm glad it's here, and I'm fairly sure I'll be back...with a cup. For More Information: https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Hatcheries/Fillmore read more

See all

I grew up going to the fish hatchery and now I bring my boys here once a month. It's fun, easy, and costs less than a dollar to keep three boys entertained for awhile! Make sure to bring dimes and cups for the fish food! It can make your hands smelly. read more

Good for a short day trip especially for young kids. I didn't realize that feeding the fish can be relaxing. Cost you a dime for a handful of feed. Entrance is free with ample parking. There's a picnic table and restroom nearby. Good place to go if you want to try something different. read more

See all

I love going to the fish hatchery growing up and love taking the little ones there now. It's a nice little staple in this small town.

I strongly recommend making a quick pit stop by this place. Kids will love this place and they even have a free feeder where you can load a cup of fish food to walk around and feed them. It's so cool seeing them go at it once the food hits the water. read more

Loved this place as a kid, and its still amazing as an adult. Took my two kids (2 1/2 and 3 years old) and they had a blast! Now the reason for four stars, instead of five. The workers didn't really seem too happy to see us there. I noticed they were rolling trucks in and out, maybe doing some kind of repairs or maintenance? I asked an employee about maybe letting my kids see the baby trout, but that was a non starter. The fish didn't look very healthy at all. (Maybe I'm just noticing as an adult, and avid fishkeeper) I'm an idiot and forgot to bring dimes. Still able to find a couple in the car. This place is still beautiful however. Especially at the outflow at the back fence. There was a solid 2 and a half foot trout chasing ducks around, and my kids thought it was the funniest thing ever. I absolutely recommend stopping by if you're in the area. Its free, and you won't regret it. read more

Fillmore Fish Hatchery - The sign at the entrance. - Wildlife Control Near Me - Fillmore, California

See all

The directions and address on their website aren't too helpful (they give a P.O. box!), but if you're heading out from Santa Clarita, take 126 in the direction of Ventura, and you'll be turning left onto Hatchery Road. There is a sign before-hand to get you ready to turn. It's between the towns of Piru and Fillmore, so when you pass Piru (don't blink or you'll miss it!), keep a watch out for the sign, and if you make it to Fillmore, you've gone too far. Fish food is still (June 2012) only a dime, but if you're going with kids, they'll want tons of fish food, so bring a lot of dimes. (My 2 kids used about 15 dimes each.) The food is in little pellets, not flakes. You'll also need a cup or baggie to hold the pellets, although many people leave their cups when they're done. The fish food is available at a couple of self-service vending machines similar to the ones that have little toys, where you put your coin in and turn the crank. We spent an hour there, from about 2:30-3:30 on a Saturday afternoon, with a 10-year old and a 7-year old, and they were happy as clams. It wasn't crowded at all, and there's plenty of room to feel like you can relax a bit and not "hover" over your child worrying about kidnappers or whatever. There are restrooms and a drinking fountain there, but they're a bit nasty. We stopped at Pancho's Place on Center Street in Piru for some Mexican food for lunch before heading over to the fish hatchery. It was about 5 minutes from Pancho's to the fish hatchery. read more

Always a lot of fun feeding the thousands of fish. It's good for about 20 minutes or so. Good news bad news - the food is now free but they only fill them twice a day and it may go pretty fast. Plan around 8am or noon as those are the posted fill times. read more

Place sucks now . They only fill the fish food container 2 times a day the food ran out within 1/2 hour and there was no food for the kids to feed the fish . I drove 45 minutes for nothing read more

So fascinating. The feeding dude totally schooled me on trout. They breed GOLDENS here. Our state fish. That ROCKS.

The kids loved this place. Something different. My 16, 14, 11 year old thought it was the best thing to gather tons of food and watch the fish go crazy. My 4 yr loved feeding them. Nice little place to feed the fish for about 30-45min, after that the older kids are bored. read more

Great quiet place if your passing by you should defiantly make a stop. Your children or grandkids will enjoy just seeing all the fish

The Fillmore Fish Hatchery Is Awesome! Make Sure You Bring LOTS Of Dimes and Cups For The Fish Food! My Grandson And Granddaughter Had So Much Fun, As Did We!!! read more

What a cool place! Our grandkids always want to take the trip out to Piru to see the fish hatchery when they are visiting us in the SCV. For a dime, you can get a handful of food pellets to feed the fish. Cheap entertainment for sure! They are open most days, but close around 2pm. read more

Feed the fish (and birds, ducks) for good luck.

The Fillmore Fish Hatchery is such a wonderful stop for me. I have been stopping here for over 20 years. Every time I am amused by the fish and ever so simple facility. When you turn off from Highway 126 (it is just a mile or two east of Fillmore proper) you turn south on Fish Hatchery Road and shortly come upon a big cage with long concrete troughs for the fish. Walk in the gate and tour the fish in various sizes and enjoy the wonder of life. The big cage - like an oversize batting cage - keeps out the egrets, herons and hawks. The fish are amusing, and now for the rest of the show. Walk to the down stream end of the enclosure and look through the fence. I always spot huge trout that have slipped down stream as little ones and grown into monsters. They seem to live on the food that comes downstream. Now for the big treat. Watch in the trees and bushes and I have often found herons and egrets sitting oh so close to the end of the enclosure. They are feeding on whatever might come downstream for the hatchery and make for a wonderful wildlife encounter. Bring the kids and enjoy this free attraction, this is for me anyway, such a worth while stop. read more

This is heaven on earth. Bring the kids. Feed the fish. See fish from teeny to grown. See the wild bird sanctuary. My happy place.