Each year, the Lower Mountain Fork River (LMFR) is stocked bi-weekly with rainbow trout, but the southeast Oklahoma fishery will receive six “bonus” stockings this spring that will provide more than 14,000 additional
fish.
The first two supplemental trout stockings took place Feb. 5 and Feb. 12, and the remaining four are scheduled for Feb 26, March 12 & 26 and April 9. Each stocking includes over 2,400 fish that are nearly a foot in length.
“These trout are going to be placed in remote areas of the stream that aren’t usually stocked,” said Jay Barfield, streams management technician for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. “And at 11 inches they will be a bit larger than usual and ready to put up a fun challenge. Angling should be great in these areas during the coming weeks.”
The additional rainbow trout are being provided to the Wildlife Department by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to help offset the impacts caused by Broken Bow Dam on the LMFR. The trout will be obtained from the Greers Ferry National Fish Hatchery in Arkansas and then released into the LMFR trout fishery between the State Park Dam and the US Route 70 bridge.
The LMFR is one of eight Oklahoma trout fisheries and one of two year-round trout fishing hotspots in the state. Other trout hotspots include; Altus Lugert/Quartz Mountain, Lake Watonga, Lake Carl Etling, Blue River, Illinois River, Robbers Cave, Dolese Youth Park Pond (OKC), Lake Pawhuska, and Clayton Lake State Park.
To view the regular, bi-weekly trout stocking schedule and specific regulations for all the state’s trout waters, including the LMFR, log on to www.wildlifedepartment.com. The Web site also includes tips on how to catch trout as well as a wealth of information about the state’s streams management program, which works to provide healthy streams and better stream fishing in Oklahoma.