Rainbow trout stocking begins, but area anglers will have to wait
Late November brings a yearly tradition in a year like no other.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department began stocking rainbow trout this week as part of its annual efforts to increase winter fishing opportunity across the state. The agency is set to stock more than 330,000 rainbows by early March.
Anglers aiming to fish San Antonio’s two Neighborhood Fishin’ locations will have to wait a little longer, though. Mild temperatures have delayed the first stockings at Southside Lion’s Park and Miller’s Pond until Wednesday. According to Carl Kittel, who heads Texas’ rainbow trout stocking program, TPWD aims to stock the cold-water fish when the water temperature is below 70 degrees.
Those two sites will have stockings every two weeks as part of the Neighborhood Fishin’ program, which provides fishing access near major cities. During the summer, the state’s 18 Neighborhood Fishin’ lakes and ponds are stocked every two weeks with channel catfish. When winter comes, the stockings switch to trout. More than 8,500 trout are scheduled to be stocked at the two San Antonio locations across four stockings.
The Neighborhood Fishin’ program is only the beginning when it comes to rainbow trout access for the San Antonio area.
Earl Scott Pond is set to receive 650 rainbows Jan. 27. Live Oak City’s small pond will get 1,150 across four stockings. Bandera City Park Lake is scheduled to be stocked with 578 trout Dec. 16. In Castroville, Landmark Inn is slated for 1,000 fish on Feb. 21. Kerrville’s Louise Hays Park gets two stockings of 1,200 apiece. Lost Maples State Natural Area near Vanderpool will get 500 rainbows Jan. 27.
The Frio River at Garner State Park will have stockings Dec. 17 and Jan. 13 with 1,250 fish each day. The Llano River at James Crossing will be stocked with 2,500 fish over two stockings.
The Llano River downstream near Castell will get 2,400 fish Dec. 22. South Llano River State Park in Junction will receive 2,200 rainbows.
The inland fisheries division selects waterbodies to stock with both fish and angler in mind. TPWD tries to choose ponds that are at least five feet deep to give the trout a better shot at surviving warm spells. The department tries to select smaller ponds as trout will take refuge in the center of larger ones, out of casting range. TPWD also looks for ponds that are historically popular, with high levels of fishing activity and good access.
Some of these spots often host public events, such as tournaments, but Kittel said that many have been canceled because of COVID-19. He said the fish would still be placed in the respective waterbodies, though. Kittel added he was pleased with the number of fish that were purchased despite the economic hardships of the pandemic.
Cal Young Park in Abilene will be stocked with 1,750 rainbows ahead of a “virtual” Trout Fest 2020. Anglers must scan a QR code on the signs at the park to register for the tournament and catches must be photographed next to a measuring device. TPWD urges anglers to practice
social distancing while enjoying the outdoors.
Texas is considered a put-andtake fishery when it comes to rainbow trout. Because these fish can’t survive the heat that comes with spring, TPWD encourages anglers to fulfill the daily limit of five fish.
The only self-sustaining population of rainbow trout in Texas is in Mckittrick Canyon, near the New Mexico border in Guadalupe Mountains National Park, where the high elevation suits the fishes’ temperature needs. Angling is not allowed there, though.
The centerpiece of Texas trout fishing is the Guadalupe River, the southernmost freshwater trout fishery in the U.S. Coldwater discharge from the Canyon Lake dam makes it an ideal place to trout fish.
TPWD is set to stock the Canyon tailrace of the Guadalupe River with almost 21,000 fish over nine stockings from Dec. 4 to Jan. 29. Those stockings will occur at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Guadalupe Park, Whitewater Camp, 4th Crossing, 3rd Crossing, and Camp Huaco Springs. Additionally, Guadalupe River State Park in Spring Branch will get 1,500 rainbows Jan. 9.
Trout Unlimited’s Guadalupe River Chapter will have three of its own stockings this season,
which will include brown trout as well as rainbows.
Free public access can be found year-round at Guadalupe Park and at Camp Huaco Springs from Dec. 7 through March 7 except Feb. 21-24. Several camps and resorts offer paid access and GRTU has an annual lease program for its members. That program is extremely popular and sold out within a day this year.
The river has two zones subject to special regulations and artificial lures only. Zone 1 has a 12-to-18-inch slot limit and a daily bag limit of five fish with only one 18 inches or longer. Zone 2 has an 18-inch minimum size limit and a one-fish daily limit. TPWD also has the map on its website of the Guadalupe River trout zones.
Outside of the special regulations on the Guadalupe River, the statewide daily bag limit of five has no minimum size restrictions. Anglers 17 and older are required to have a fishing license with a freshwater endorsement unless fishing within a state park, which is free. Rainbow trout will be stocked in 15 state parks.
Check TPWD’S website to find nearby locations and the stocking schedule.