Established in 1929, the Tishomingo National Fish Hatchery is a unit of the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior. It is 235 acres with 52 surface acres of water and 62 ponds. It features three fish-holding houses used as nurseries where paddlefish, catfish, alligator gar and alligator snapping turtles are raised. There is also four 20-foot diameter fiberglass circular tanks and six large concrete raceways. Water is fed into the hatchery from the Pennington Creek, which has many waterfalls and granite rock outcroppings that are some of the oldest rock formations in the mid-continent region.
Stop by the visitor center to see aquariums, color photographic exhibits and aquatic ecosystem displays. The display pool has various fish species, a scenic area with fishing access, a hiking trail and a historic functioning wooden water wheel. You can also do some fly fishing for smallmouth bass and sunfish, which is also a popular activity to do there.
