I want to take some kids from the high school that I teach at trout fishing at Tyler State Park. According to the website they will stock the lake on 12/18. Does anyone know what time they normally do the stocking at? It doesn't make any sense to try and catch the fish before they are in the water.

I grew up catching trout in my native CO but most of these kids have never even seen one so I want to try and get them into something new. Any info on stocking times would be appreciated. I submitted an email to TPWD but haven't got a reply yet.

Go to the tpw web site that showes stocking dates. It also showes the name of the hatchery. You have to call them direct as tpw schedules the dates but not the times.

You need to give the trout 24 hours to get settled in before they will bite well

On the other hand, I have seen them bite and be caught immediately after stocking (unless they are on the run from big largemouth bass that really like to swallow them up). Berkley power bait (looks like play-dough)formed onto a small hook so that it floats the hook up off the bottom is what the kids can use to ensure best success with little fuss. Just put a small weight above the hook so that the bait/hook can rise up off the bottom. Hope they catch a bunch.

Well, I use a lot of different baits and methods to catch the planted trout.

First of all, to answer one question, no, this is Texas.... Other than below Canyon dam and possibly PK., the chance of a rainbow trout surviving in Texas past March is below slim and none.

I like a short piece of Canadian nightcrawler and a piece or two of whole kerneel corn on a salmon egg hook, with as little weight as possible.

Well...technically true.

Especially the "How to catch 'em part." However, I have documented the capture of live rainbow trout in Texas (Liberty County) as late in the year as June 9. Also at least maintaining a sustainable fishery in Brazoria County until mid-April or beyond depending on the weather.

Kinda like tilapia in reverse, the trout don't just keel over and die on the first warm day. They may get fungussed up a bit, then recover with a cool front, several times before succumbing to the heat. More likely being eaten by something before actually expiring, as they become slow, then moribund before actually dying.

As with the special cases of tailraces below big dams, there are some other such about. The case in Liberty County was an old quarry fed by artesian ground water and almost completely shaded. Also along the upper coast, it just doesn't get as hot as quick as inland, with the persistent onshore breezes keeping it cool well into spring.

Plus, in almost every case, the trout are nearly all recovered by fishermen before expiring in the heat of summer.