Annual winter trout stocking




It’s time once again for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s annual winter rainbow trout stocking. TPWD’s popular rainbow trout stocking program kicks off Tuesday, Nov. 25, and continues through March with the first deliveries of fish to lakes in the department’s Neighborhood Fishin’ program.

Since the ‘70s, the department has been stocking rainbow trout each winter in small urban lakes, state park lakes and popular river tailraces, providing Texans a simple and economical opportunity to go fishing.

During the next few months TPWD will be stocking upwards of 286,000, 9 to 12-inch hatchery-reared rainbow trout in 142 neighborhood and state park locations across Texas.

“Rainbow trout are great fish to catch for the fishing experience, and they can be caught on many types of gear,” said Carl Kittel, A.E. Wood Fish Hatchery program director. “For those that like to eat fish, the rainbow trout is also an excellent fish to eat.”

Catching these hungry fish can be easy, making the experience ideal for both novice anglers and kids. The fish will bite almost immediately after stocking and typically will take a variety of baits, from whole kernel canned corn or commercial soft bait to artificial flies and even small spinnerbaits.
Fishing gear can be as basic as an inexpensive spincast rod and reel combo, a small plastic bobber, a fishing weight and a hook. It’s also a good idea to carry along a pair of needle-nosed pliers to help remove hooks, and a five gallon bucket, small ice chest or a fish stringer to keep your catch. Be sure to keep fresh trout cold on ice or refrigerated.

All anglers 17 years of age and older must have a valid freshwater fishing license as well as a freshwater stamp.

For more information about the winter trout fishing program, including tips and the 2014-2015 trout stocking schedule listed by city or county, visit: http://www.tpwd.texas.gov/troutstocking

 




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Lake Fork

Fishing Report from TPWD (Mar. 26)

GOOD. Water Stained; 62 degrees; 0.32 feet below pool. Water temperature is 58-66 degrees. Bass are pulling up shallow. There is a good late evening bite with Texas rigs, chatterbaits, flukes, wacky rig senkos in 1-3 feet. Report by Marc Mitchell, Lake Fork Guide Service. Smaller male black bass are moving to the shallows on warm windy banks. Fish the banks with the most sunlight. Bait fish and worm patterns are a good choice. Look for females close-by ready to move to nests. Slow presentations work best. The crappie should be moving shallowly in 60-65-degree water. Wooly buggers can be a good choice. Report by Guide Alex Guthrie, Fly Fish Fork Guide Service. Lake Fork crappie fishing has been steady with numbers of big fish possible when the winds allow. Good numbers of crappie on timber in 6-20 feet close to spawning areas. Cold fronts lately have been pushing the fish back out deeper and we may only see one or two days of shallow fish in between fronts. If you find a spawning area with 62-64 degree surface temperatures you may be able to find fish in 2-4 feet. Some fish are holding on bridges, but the bite can change not only by the day but by the hour this time of year. Wind directions and wind speeds are dictating a lot of the crappie’s location and demeanor. The bite is good most days if you can get a bait right on a fish. Minnows, hand tied jigs and soft plastics will all produce this time of year. Report by Jacky Wiggins, Jacky Wiggins Guide Service.

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