LDWF Stocks Rainbow Trout at Community Fishing Ponds Across Louisiana

Angler shows off his rainbow trout stringer caught during the 2020 Winter stocking at GOF! Girard Park in Lafayette, LA.

Rene LeBreton

Baton Rouge, La.

Grab your fishing gear and bring your friends and family to a nearby Get Out and Fish! pond for the opportunity to catch a fish you don’t land every day. Beginning the morning of January 14, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries will begin stocking 16 sites with adult-size rainbow trout, ranging from 1 to 2 pounds, making a perfect stringer for dinner.

The January trout stocking will be the first stocking for the newest GOF! site, Forts Randolph & Buhlow State Historic Site, located in Pineville. The site is managed by the Louisiana Office of State Parks and marks the 3^rd Louisiana State Park to partner with LDWF to provide more accessible fishing locations for the state’s residents.

Now is the only time of year our Get Out and Fish! sites will be stocked with rainbow trout, so do not miss this unique opportunity to land one, right here in Louisiana. Rainbow trout are native to rivers and lakes in western North America; yet, due to their popularity, these fish have been introduced throughout the United States through stocking efforts. When water temperatures are cool during the winter months, LDWF takes advantage to stock our ponds and lakes with this cold-water fish. LDWF encourages anglers to keep their catch at these sites so the rainbow trout are harvested before temperatures rise.

Anglers 16 and older must possess a Louisiana fishing license when fishing in any Louisiana public waters. Licenses are available for purchase online at https://la-web.s3licensing.com/. By purchasing a fishing license, Louisiana receives matching funds from the Sport Fish Restoration Program for public fishing and boating access, fishing programs and education and fisheries management.

For additional stocking information, including specific locations and the stocking schedule follow us on Facebook @ldwfgetoutandfish or visit our program website.

Get Out and Fish! is hosted in conjunction with the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation. The LWFF was formed to provide a means for individuals and corporations to become partners with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission in the challenge of conserving Louisiana’s wildlife and fish resources.

For more information, contact Heather David at hdavid@wlf.la.gov.