I think it is really cool that Rainbow Trout are surviving and thriving in a few of our TX rivers these days! I read an article in the TPWD handbook a few yrs ago talking about the year long survival of Trout in the Guadalupe river, especial right below Canyon damn. ALso, I personally saw trout in the Guadalupe river outside of kerville, TX in a natural country setting, not in a netted off park section!

However, I did not realize the extent to which they have populated today. I did not realize that they have started to live in other rivers yr long, like the Nueces river around UValde, TX! This amazes me and really excites me even though I am a bass fisherman.


Just the other day in the Caller times I read an article where the new state record trout had been caught out of the Nueces river near Uvalde. The trout weighed an amazing 7 lbs 13 oz! Wow, thats an 8 lbs trout in TX! I would not have believed had I not seen the photo and article! I can not believe that trout are actually getting that big in TX! It makes me want to pick up a fly rod and an inter-tube and head to the hill county to give it a try!

Does anybody here fish for TX Trout. What info or stories do you have? Do you really catch trout this big? How big? Are 3 lbers common? Lets hear it!

Those big fish caught in Uvalde were stocked at that size a few days before. Maybe a week or two. Courtesy of the Trout Days program. There is no surviving population year round there. There are some nice fish below Canyon dam. I've tried to read up on how many make it through the summer. I only gather that some years more make it than others depending on how dry the summers are. It's hard to tell whether you are catching a stocker or one that has made it over a year, because apparently Trout Unlimited stocks some large fish.

I fished the trout days event north of Uvalde and they stocked around 500 total trout 300 were up to 2lbs and 200 were 2lbs plus. In a little over two days fishing I caught probally 50 trout with about 40% being over 2lb and there were several caught over 5lbs including me missing out on a very large trout.
The deepest holes on the nueces are maybe 12 feet so they will certainly get too warm.

The Guadalpue on the other hand is year round trout fishing me personally I have caught trout in October below the dam two months before the first stocking. They were more colorful and better fighters than the standard stockers but only grew maybe 2-3" to average around 12-14". This winter on the Guadalupe in the special reg area I have caught around 20 that have topped 2lbs.

Regarding the trout in Texas.

Big brood stockers can be colorful too and can give one a surprising fight but simply because of their size especially to a non experienced trout fisherman. But make no mistake, a wild trout is more colorful, fights better and well proportioned throughout the body. Wild trout aren't stupid and in a balanced eco stream, not starved. Also, check the fins of the trout and you'll notice that stockers have clipped caudal tails and the pectoral fins are small and nubby because they've been worn down through competition with other fish in the hatchery raceways.

Supporters of the stocking program know this for a fact but its kinda of taboo to bring it up because afterall its all about playing make believe trout fishing in Texas. Big money, big business, from cold water stamp, guides , fancy outfitters, lodges, real estate businesses, leased access sites, etc. and the Guadalupe TU is the biggest in the country. It will continue for a long time. Trout don't stand a chance. TU and trout in this setting sounds ironic doesn't it? I'd just like to think that the money generated from the trout business helps the other fishery and natural conservancy aspect. Justifiable? It is what it is, and many are just happy with that.

Wild trout in Texas is like saying panda bears found thriving in Laredo. I suppose its possible but it can't be natural. Its cute, and will attract a lot of attention. But let's not kid ourselves.

I have trout fished in Germany/Austria, Colorado and Alaska there is vast difference is the color and how the fish is shaped and even taste. I will say that I do enjoy the fact Texas does stock trout it keeps the state truly year round fishing and a lot of the place a smaller ponds, parks, state parks that give a place for kids, families and unexperienced fishertypes to catch fish with relative ease.
But it certainly does help the local ecconimies out which is never a bad thing. For me going to the Guad = gas in the car, lunch and maybe dinner in New Brunfels and paying a small fee at some places for access.
Similar to my white bass trip to sommerville, gas+hotel+food+sightseeing = a little extra money for them which is a good thing.

Texas parks and wildlife website has a few articles about this subject. I found both very interesting reads.

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_rp_t3200_1205.pdf

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_rp_t3200_1557.pdf

Thanks for posting that ssj3goten. Yup, I've read that before. It brings a lot of enjoyment to people via easier access to trout(even driving 122 miles one way), easy fishing, and makes $$$ money go round and round. Thank you trout, you're an amazing attraction.

Hmmm....I wonder if the massive fish kill on a yearly basis benefits the catfish down stream. Anybody tye dead rainbow trout flies for catfish? I might have to work on that one, come summertime, its matching the hatch.

Wild Rainbows in TX

actually we used to cast big (6-8")rainbow trout streamers for stripers when I lived down there. It is the best thing to come from the stocking in my opinion. But I prefer warm water fly fishing anyways

Amen to that! In Texas, warm water (fly or conventioal))fishing rule!

Scott, would you mind giving any more tips/pointers on those stripers in the river? I've tried throwing a trout swimbait 4 inches both trips I've made up there with no luck.

One thing I have seen posted in the bass section was should TPWD stock trout in say Fork, Choke to help beef up the bass. It was an interesting topic. I have seen in some the rivers the LMB chasing the smaller trout and of course stripers on the Guad and PK eating the trout. Something has to eat the trout whether its cats or turtles/birds.

I have caught any but talked to some who have or fish for them and the basic answer is larger bait 8" swimbait closer in size to those stocked. Some mentioned fishing at first/last light or nighttime.

I definitely learned something. First, the clipped tails. I caught quite a few with clipped tails. The 22 incher I caught did not have a clipped tail, it's tail was very full. Based of the second TPWD article, even though it seems none of the fingerlings they stocked made it, they did find trout during the collecting period, so therefore a certain amount are surviving.

Also, trying to figure out where they shocked up the striper. They say it was at electrofishing sites 15 and 16, which was below a dam. It looks like the dams above rio raft are the ones they are talking about. Anybody else see this?

Bass + Trout = some California lakes and reservoir. Impressive huge bass and trout. Win, win? It's an individual call. It's like playing Jack Horner's Jurassic Park. I know its a movie but I think we all know how that turned out.

Wow, Lake Fork needing bass beefing up. Who would've thunk? Are we not satisfied with having a great lake with naturally reproducing bass and registering multiple lunkers in the "Share a Lunker" program yearly on a consistant basis. Is there really a problem or are we just not happy enough?