A young Houma angler shows off his catch

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) annual Get Out & Fish! Rainbow Trout stockings are quickly approaching. To give Louisiana anglers an improved chance at landing this unique catch, the LDWF Fishing Course Series program is once again, offering the Beginner Rainbow Trout Fishing course. Join LDWF biologists as they delve into the best tactics, tackle, and bait to successfully reel in your own rainbow!

The Beginner Rainbow Trout Fishing course will be geared towards all skill levels, including beginner, casual, or experienced anglers. Participants will learn stocked Rainbow Trout behavior, targeting tactics, equipment overview, bait selection, and basic rigging followed by an hour of fishing with LDWF staff.

Each 2-hour class will be open to all ages and limited to 10 participants, with a waitlist option. Equipment will be provided, but participants are also encouraged to bring their own gear. All in attendance will take home a package of informative material, starter tackle, and bait, courtesy of Magic Bait and TakeMeFishing.org. Anglers 18 & older must possess a Louisiana Basic Fishing Season or Hook and Line license, and anglers under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Licenses can be purchased online at www.louisianaoutdoors.com. Eight courses will be offered at Get Out & Fish! ponds across the state.

To register for one of the FCS courses, visit Lousianaoutdoors.com/events and select the event type “Fishing Ed” to see all available FCS courses. If you need assistance registering, please contact outreach@wlf.la.gov or call Joshua Porter (225) 763-3540. For more information on the Fishing Course Series and Get Out & Fish! programs, please visit wlf.louisiana.gov/page/fishing-workshops and wlf.louisiana.gov/page/get-out-and-fish. Rainbow Trout stocking dates will be posted on the website in early January.

The Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is charged with managing and protecting Louisiana’s abundant natural resources.  For more information, visit us at www.wlf.la.gov, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ldwffb or follow us on Twitter @LDWF.

The Fishing Course Series is hosted in conjunction with the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation (LAWFF). The LAWFF was formed to help expand and support LDWF education and research programs with additional resources developed through its own facilities. Encouraging support for LDWF programs is the major focus of the Foundation, accomplished by connecting people and businesses with Louisiana’s natural resources. For more information, visit www.lawff.org.

The Fishing Course Series is funded by the Sport Fish Restoration Fund, a USFWS grant program that provides grant funds to the states, the District of Columbia and insular areas fish and wildlife agencies for fishery projects, boating access and aquatic education.