What is the deal with the Trout stocking program ? Perhaps I am just not understanding the concept correctly. From what I understand they spend alot of money to stock a fish that is guaranteed not to survive instead of stocking viable fish into lakes/reservoirs that need it. Oh, and then they charge you a 7$ stamp if you want to catch one before they die. As far as I can tell it is a scam to sell people the trout stamp and make a quick buck.

amen bro
i second that

It is my understanding that the Trout Stocking program is totally self funding from the proceeds of the Stamp. Therefore it does not cost anybody anything that does not want to buy a Trout Stamp...and the stocking provides tons of little kids some fish that otherwise they would not ever see much less be able to catch...since the great majority of the Trout are stocked in neighborhood ponds and small lakes. So I wouldn't worry about too much since it is no skin off your nose ...and no I don't fish for the little critters but see kiddos lined up at my local pond like they were standing in line to get into a re Release of Star Wars. The town I live in actually puts Trout into the municipal swimming pool some years if they can get enough of them to lessen the load on the pond.
Ron

In Abilene, you just about have to stand in line to get a fishing spot on the day they stock and the days following. For those that havent eaten fresh water trout, it is very tasty once you get by the bones. Up until now, you have had to buy the Trout Stamp to fish for them, so the folks that have been fishing have been paying for the stocking. With the coming Fresh Water fishing stamp, the Trout Stamp will be discontinued.

i bought a stamp and they didnt scam me.. it was fun to take my youngest son and watch him catch some fish..i think it is a great program


randy

" With the coming Fresh Water fishing stamp, the Trout Stamp will be discontinued. "

If as Wiley Coyote thinks the Trout stamp completely covers it's own cost I don't have a huge problem with it ( even though those resources could be put to much better use ). If what TX Champ is saying is true though I still think it is a monstrous waste of resources. The trout stocking program is a money making gimick at best in my opinion....Don't get me wrong I LOVE to catch and eat trout. When my dad lived in AZ I looked forward all year to fishing for them. But they are native to the water there !They can live year round and keep a self sustaining population of fish. I just can't get past the stocking of something you know is gonna croak.

Some people forget they were a kid once....kids don't gotta pay.

Kids would have a ball catching catfish, bluegills, and bass, and wouldn't care one bit that it wasn't a rainbow trout. I'm sure if the amount of effort and money were used to stock these species in a specific area just for the purpose of giving the kids a place to get something to tug on their line you would have a fishery that would be there through the entire year and not just for those few months before they croak. I've fished for those trout and yeah its fun, but give me a two and a half pound catfish on the end of the line and I'll forget about that trout.

I'll second Jimbo. Tried to catch some cats this past weekend in the Guadalupe but those darn trout wouldn't let a cat get anywhere near my hook.

So with your thinking, I suppose you are also opposed to the stocking of Striped Bass and Hybrids?

"Stupid Trout stocking program?"

If they stocked 'smart' trout, the kids would have a hard time catching them.

Hooked on fishing, not PlayStation 2.

Get your kids outside, whatever it takes.

Striped bass and Hybrids don't make it through the heat of the summer?
You can't compare the stocking of hybrids and stripers to the trout. The stripers and hybrids live on year after year, and true that they do not spawn, you receive a little more bang for you buck in that they continue to grow and you don't have to replinish the fishery year after year which makes it more sensible in my opinion to stock.
The trout not only die because of the heat of the summer, but also are subject to the flooding below the dams where the majority or stocked. Also those stripers that get through after a flood are locked into the rivers and feed on those same trout. I have nothing against PWD trying to get more people involved in the sport but native fish would be more cost effective and possibly get the same results with a comperable amount of effort. It's about keeping the cost down and showing some effort in doing so, that when ask to increase fees you don't feel like its uncalled for. But that's just me. There seems to be enough people that feel otherwise or they wouldn't be doing it.

What Jimbo said about the stripers/hybrids

I knew the Hybrids didn't spawn, but I thought the Stripers did. Hmm, learn something new everyday.

Yes you can make a comparison between the two. And your statement that you get "more bang for your buck" is simply one person's opinion. I make no distinction between the stocking of trout and the stocking of stripers/hybrids. And yes, lakes are regularly replenished with stripers/hybrids on an annual basis barring unforseen hatchery problems. Those fish get heavy fishing pressure. The quantity does vary from year to year. The purpose of both is "put and take". Neither species spawn and neither are native to Texas waters. Stripers are a cold water species and often do not survive the warm weather months when caught. I can personally attest to this. Trout will generally survive the warm weather months in those impoundments and rivers where they are stocked. Especially those cold water rivers. Not only trout, but plenty of stripers get washed through the dams at high water stages. There are plenty of them in the Brazos and Colorado river drainages.

I make no distinction in the stocking of stripers and trout. They are raised in hatcheries for the fishing pleasure of Texas fishermen. They are immensely popular. Our license dollars are no more wasted on the stocking of trout than they are on the stocking of stripers or any other species that are stocked in our Texas lakes. And yes, they do stock native fish (Florida strain largemouth bass, Channel catfish, etc.)