Arkansas Anglers may strike gold chasing rainbows

LITTLE ROCK — Anglers will have a rare opportunity this winter to catch golden trout in places stocked by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s Family and Community Fishing Program. The trout, a color variant of rainbow trout, will be stocked at all FCFP locations across the state beginning the week before Christmas. The water is cold enough during winter, even in southern Arkansas, to support the coldwater fish.

“It’s a continuation of our tagging promotion that we’ve done in the past, trying to encourage more trout fishing through our Family and Community Fishing locations,” Clint Coleman, FCFP assistant coordinator, said. “We’ve (stocked) big catfish, with 50- and 60-pound blue catfish, but we’ve never done anything to promote trout fishing. We decided to try golden trout, which have been stocked in other states. We wanted to bring that opportunity to Arkansas.”

Thanks to funding from the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation’s Steve Smith Endowment, golden rainbow trout will be purchased from Crystal Lake Fisheries Inc. in Ava, Missouri, about 40 miles southeast of Springfield, and distributed across Arkansas. The AGFC’s Trout Program stocked golden rainbow trout at the confluence of the Norfork Tailwater and White River a few years ago, and they saw quite a few happy anglers posting pictures on social media. The FCFP crew are hoping to see even more smiles as they stock these special fish in program ponds around Arkansas for those who can’t make the drive to Arkansas’s famous trout tailwater fisheries.

“We’re going to tag 10 golden trout per location at 39 locations across the state,” Coleman said.

After an angler catches a tagged fish, they can call the phone number on the tag to claim their prize. Follow the instructions and mail the tag in by Feb. 28, and you’ll be entered into the big drawing at the end of the year. The winner of that drawing will receive one of three free trout-fishing trips on the Little Red River from Leland’s Lures’ and Sore Lip ’Em All Guide Service.

Anglers are limited to submitting one tag per person. Coleman encourages anyone who catches a golden trout to post a photo of the fish on the AGFC Facebook page.

“The prizes and the trips are great, but the opportunity to catch golden trout is even bigger,” Coleman said. “It may be once in a lifetime for some people. Only five states have golden trout and we’re lucky we’re close enough to the facility to get them.”

Visit www.agfc.com/familyfishing for a list of FCFP locations.

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CUTLINES:

TROUT1
Golden trout will be available at Family and Community Fishing Program locations this winter. Photo courtesy of Crystal Lake Fisheries Inc.

TROUT2
Golden trout are rainbow trout with different pigmentation. Photo by Mike Wintroath.