Mountain Fork River to Welcome 40,000 Trout in Next Three Months

By Oklahoma Dept of Wildlife Conservation

First posted on 01-19-2010

Over the next three months, more than 40,000 rainbow trout will be stocked at the Lower Mountain Fork River in southeast Oklahoma thanks to six additional loads of fish that that will be released into the river. Regular bi-weekly stockings also will continue.

While one of the extra trout stockings took place Jan. 13, five others are scheduled for Jan. 27, Feb. 10 & 24 and March 10 & 24. Trout anglers at the Lower Mountain Fork River also enjoyed an extra stocking in November.

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 dams on Oklahoma waters.

Wildlife Department personnel will transport the fish from the Greers Ferry Fish Hatchery in Arkansas and then release them into the LMFR trout fishery for anglers to enjoy.

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 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 restoration program, which works to provide healthy streams and better trout angling in Oklahoma.

To fish for trout, anglers need an appropriate state fishing license. Additionally, a trout license is required of anglers who fish in state designated trout areas or tributaries to a state designated trout stream during trout seasons. For further details about trout fishing in Oklahoma, including a detailed listing of all designated trout areas and regulations for each, consult the current “Oklahoma Fishing Guide” or log on to wildlifedepartment.com.