The Midwest might not be known for the availability of fresh fish, yet fishing as a hobby and recreation remains deeply woven into the culture. If you're a seafood-lover like me, you might be torn on how to eat local and regional while enjoying fish, and not having the time to harvest your own. Rest assured, the Chippewa Valley region offers a couple of readily accessible, high-quality fish producers.

Trout

Jeremiah's Bullfrog Fish Farm (N1409 566th St, Menomonie) is a Chippewa Valley institution that's been raising and selling rainbow trout since the early '90s. The current owners, Jeremiah and Jordan – a pair of former teachers – bought the Menomonie biz in 2017, which continues to serve as an agri-tourism destination while supplying the area with fresh fish and goods.

Every year, they have roughly 170,000 trout in production. No, that's not a typo: 170,000 trout. The fish farm's rainbow trout take two years to mature for harvest, and twice a year, they start up with another 30,000 eggs.

The farm's products can be found all over the area at farmers markets, Menomonie Market Food Co-op locations, Cut Rite meats, and more. A handful of restaurants source trout from Jeremiah's for seasonal specials as well.

Never had trout? It's got a milder flavor, and often thought of as less "fishy" tasting than ocean fish, like salmon – perfect for you seafood-phobes. The farm also hosts live music in the summer, DIY fishing right on their land, and an eatery dishing up trout dinners, tacos, fish sandwiches, and more.

Rainbow trout straight from Menomonie's Jeremiah's Bullfrog Fish Farm. (Photo via Facebook)

Jeremiah's Bullfrog Fish Farm, pictured, is regularly open May-September and by appointment October-April. (Photo by Tim Mather)

Salmon

While certainly not native to Wisconsin, farm-raised salmon (done right) can be just as delicious as their wild, migrating counterparts. One farm that's been working on doing it right is Superior Fresh (W15506 Superior Fresh Dr.), located roughly 40 minutes south of Eau Claire in the lush landscape of Hixton, Wisconsin.

Superior Fresh considers its farm to be dual use, according to its website; producing market-ready fish, and practicing sustainable, regenerative agriculture. They've planted over 3,500 trees and shrubs across their site, and helped over 100 native bird species of return to the area.

The Hixton farm exhibits a highly efficient fish food conversion ratio for its salmon production, using just one pound of feed for every pound of fish, supplemented by five additional pounds of leafy greens.

Superior Fresh's fish production utilizes a certified organic diet, and their fish has a "Best Choice" certification from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program. Products from this farm can be found nationwide, and retail locally at Festival Foods.

One of Superior Fresh's Wisconsin-grown salmon. (Photo by James Roh)

Superior Fresh is home to freshwater salmon. According to the Hixton farm's website, "our fish thrive in the water that feeds our organic leafy greens (and) our greens purify the water that is then returned to our fish."

BONUS: The Coffee Grounds

Hungry for more? One of the best kept culinary secrets in the Chippewa Valley is that The Coffee Grounds (4212 Southtowne Dr., Eau Claire) has the hookup with plenty of fresh seafood options.

Those in the know (sign up for their newsletter and you can be one of 'em) get access to some truly rare finds. In just the month of April, The Coffee Grounds customers have had their picks of Dungeness Crab, Oishii shrimp, black cod, wild Icelandic plaice, swordfish, dry pack scallops, Skuna Bay salmon, oysters, and walleye.

When they get the option for something special, they open a short pre-ordering window, and their supplier makes an overnight trip to deliver the right amount, fresh off the wharf.

Explore these local opportunities while you can, or you'll be sleeping with the fishes.