Outdoors With Mat Taylor
Trout on TPWD's holiday-stocking list

Former Soil Conservation Service employee and longtime writer Mat Taylor offers his outdoors column for Dispatch Record readers. He can be contacted at (254) 518-2262 or via email at mntaylor@agristar.net.

One of my fondest memories of growing up is my family's annual fishing trip to Colorado. For a number of years, during my Dad's vacation, we camped for a few days in a Forest Service campground near the Rio Grande River, west of South Fork, Colo.

We fished for rainbow trout in the river and several tributary streams. Although we did not always catch a large number of fish, it was great fun, and no fish tasted as good as freshly caught trout from a cold stream, fried in a skillet over a campfire.

As I teenager, I worked several summers on my grandfather's ranch. He owned a couple of sections in northern New Mexico, south of Chama and north of Regina. On my days off, I often fished for trout in Gallina Creek. It was a small mountain stream, and it was fun to see the fish in the clear water and try to entice one to bite the worm-baited hook on my fly rod.

This winter, you don't have to go to the mountains to catch trout. Between now and March, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will stock 275,000 hatchery reared rainbow trout at about 120 sites across the state. Many of these stockings will be conducted at small community fishing lakes, state parks and popular river tailraces to offer easy angling access.

For an inexpensive, entry-level fishing experience the entire family can enjoy, it doesn't get any easier than winter trout fishing in Texas. TPWD has been stocking rainbow trout since the 1970s, providing Texans a simple and economical opportunity to go fishing.

Catching these hungry fish can be easy, which makes the experience ideal for both novice anglers and kids. The fish usually bite after stocking and typically take a variety of baits -- from whole kernel canned corn or commercial soft bait to artificial flies and even small spinner baits.

Fishing gear can be as basic as an inexpensive spin-cast rod and reel combo, a small plastic bobber, a fishing weight and a small hook. In addition, carry a pair of needle-nose pliers to remove the hook, and some kind of container or stringer to keep the catch.

A list of stocking sites with detailed driving directions is available on the TPWD web site at www.tpwd.state.tx.us/troutstocking.

Posted stocking dates are the days trout fishing is available to the public. Many sites offer special events for youth prior to allowing others to fish, and those are usually the day before. Anglers should check with local parks and recreation departments or water authorities for additional information.

Some area trout stockings include Blanco State Park on Dec. 27, Jan. 10 and Jan. 24, and South Llano River State Park on Jan. 31. Other stockings includes Copperas Cove City Park on Feb. 17, Nolan Creek in Belton on Dec. 19 and Feb. 20, San Gabriel Park in Georgetown on Jan. 9, and Temple Lions Park Lake on Dec. 30 and Jan. 15.

While most sites get an annual dose of between 1,200-2,000 trout, popular fishing holes like the Guadalupe River below the Canyon Reservoir Dam, which includes the tailrace, receive multiple stockings from December through March.

The only accessible fishing place in Texas where rainbow trout can survive during the summer months -- the Guadalupe River -- will get about 17,000 fish. Several public access points along the Guadalupe River have been leased by TPWD for trout fishing. Maps and directions to these are available on the TPWD Web site.

Daily bag limit is five trout, and there is no minimum length -- except for the 10-mile stretch of the Guadalupe below the tailrace. In this area, anglers may retain only one trout per day, which must be at least 18 inches in length and be caught on artificial lures.

A valid Texas freshwater fishing package is required to fish for trout. Youth ages 16 and younger are exempt.

Licenses and stamps are not required when fishing within a Texas state park.

Good luck, and good fishing.