The stocking schedule is changed!!!

Lower Mountain Fork River is stocked every THIRD Thursday throughout the year! The next stocking should be....

July 25
August 15
September 5, 26
October 17
November 7, 28 (probably 27th since that is Thanksgiving)
December 19

THIS IS A MAJOR BLOW TO OUR EFFORTS TO MAINTAIN A QUALITY TROUT FISHERY AT THE LMF!

once again the state of Oklahoma is slowly but surely getting out of the trout fisheries business! how many years can we go back and look to see that the river was stocked every 2 weeks weather and supply permitting EVERY TWO WEEKS thru out the year? NOW we find out that the state not only allowed a hatchery over 700 miles away to be the primary supplier of fish? Now we find out they have dropped not only the number of fish but also the number of times they will stock the river! WTF? SERIOUSLY? now they are going to go 3 weeks between stocking dates? So now this means that the river will be twice as crowded during the first 7 days after a stocking and twice as many fish will be taken out? WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO THE GRAND PLANS TO MAKE THIS A TROPHY YEAR ROUND FISHERY? Am I pissed you bet ya! the park facilities are un kept & GROSS! and now the fishing by week 3 will completely SUCK! WE NEED TO MAKE A STAND! Why all of a sudden has the state changed from every 2 weeks to every 3? Can someone please tell me how this happened?

I talked to the fella at the fly shop yesterday, he said they changed the stocking schedule because they are stocking more fish when they stock so they don't have to stock as often. He said the fish are coming outa Neb.

I have always stayed away from that stocking week anyway. I will probably be hitting it on that third week now keeps the crowds down an I've never had a problem catching fish on the non stock week.

at least the bass will still be there

Amen to that. And there's always Blue River and the Illinois if you still want trout.

Yes the fish are coming from Nebraska! the hatchery is over 750 miles away and it takes the driver 2 days to get to the park! So my question is this? is the state still monitoring the # of dead fish they dump into the river with each delivery? AND are they really counting or weighing the truck before they dump? I DOUBT IT! The state fisheries div. is not monitoring the stockings and they don't give a [censored] about the # of dead fish or the condition of the fish when they go into the river! I have also noticed they are no longer stocking the upper pools of spill way creak OR the lost creek diversion! I was there 4 days after the last stocking and there were NO tire tracks of any kind along upper spillway and there were no trout in the pools along lost creek! So say what you will but IMHO the state of Oklahoma within the next 3-4 years will turn the LMF into a "seasonal" trout fishery and only stock once a month from October to May and then eventually stop the stockings all together!

sounds like Oklahoma's deal not Texas, I used to go up there before they ever had trouts & caught lots of bass, so what if the trout go bye bye, it was never & never will be a self-sustaining population

Being new to the sport of fly fishing and being from Okla. I know very little about the stocking of fish. But I do know that there are a number of places in Okla. and Ark. that have great trout fishing. Does Tex. not have a stocking program in any of the rivers in and around the hill country. If not maybe you should contact Fish and Wildlife and plead your case. You can try it with Okla. but I doubt they will listen, you being a non resident.

I don't feel they would have spent a penny to restore spillway creek after the flood gates where opened if they had zero intention of keeping the trout going. And there would be a tremendous amount of wild fish if the regulations on retaining fish were changed it would be self sustaining IMHO. Heck if they are so short of money they just need to open the ticket book ite multiple people every trip they are breaking the law in the area they are in.

Eight trips to BB and I have NEVER seen any type of law enforcement officer. I mean NEVER!

KQT it has been a well known fact for over 20 years that the park rangers and the game wardens DO NOT patrol the river or enforce the law! Due to the chronic low income situation surrounding the park the LEO's have decided to just let it be so that people can poach fish to put food on the table! I have called the rangers and wardens dozens of times and for what ever reason they NEVER show up to take my complaint! I dont understand WHY a state park that bills itself as a trout fishing destination does not have a park ranger that is dedicated 7 days a week to doing nothing but walking the river checking for violations!

FFF-
I too have called the rangers about bait flingers taking multiple stringers full of trout from the bridge over Spillway right before the Red zone. I never had a ranger make an appearance.

The only thing that makes sense about the lack of enforcement at Beavers Bend is that... the Park is a "cash cow" for the Park and local businesses. To that end, they are NOT going to enforce the regs, and hurt the cash income. If BB got the reputation of enforcing, the visitation would drop significantly, and so would the money spent by tourists, and serious fishermen/women!

Bill

That's just wonderful. Not only do we not get golden trout and big brooders here and there, now less fish.

No more bass either, they will be fished out too with nothing else to cast at.

you are dead wrong wonder boy, bass (unlike troot) are remarkably resilient fish, they existed before Broken Bow Res was built & will remain long after, they don't need the constant re-stocking as do your precious trout. All y'all act like Broken Bow is gods gift to the fly fishing world & you & only you have a right to it, let the folks with nightcrawlers & Zebco 33's eat some pasty lil stocker fish too..if you want trout, go to Colorado (if I send some money, will ya pick me up some weed), or better yet California.