Catch a tiger by the tail(water) 

MOUNTAIN HOME — AGFC fisheries technicians delivered the latest batch of tiger trout from the Jim Hinkle Spring River State Fish Hatchery to the White River below Bull Shoals Dam March 17. The 200 trout, raised at the AGFC’s only coldwater fish hatchery averaged 12.5 inches at the time of stocking.

According to AGFC Trout Program Coordinator Christy Graham the stocking is a continuation of the AGFC’s mission to provide more diverse fishing opportunities in Arkansas’s famed trout fishing destinations.

“Diversifying trout fishing opportunities is a major goal of our newly revised statewide trout management plan,” Graham said. “We worked with subject matter experts and stakeholders to develop this plan that will guide trout management actions during the next 10 years.”

Tiger trout are a sterile hybrid created by crossing female brown trout and male brook trout. The hybrid can occur naturally in the wild, but is extremely rare. Tiger trout stocked by AGFC cannot reproduce, so all energy that would have been devoted to reproduction is used for growth, creating a very fast-growing fish that is highly prized by anglers.

The AGFC introduced tiger trout stockings to the Bull Shoals Tailwater in 2020 with 2,650 catchable-sized fish and stocked an additional 1,840 tiger trout in 2021. By 2023, the stocked trout had already begun to reach the 24-inch minimum length established for harvest of the species.

An additional stocking of up to 3,000 tiger trout is planned for summer with the fish currently being grown at hatchery facilities.

The Spring River State Fish Hatchery was originally built in 1974 and was donated to the AGFC by the Kroger Company in 1985. The facility hatches eggs supplied through federal trout hatcheries and cares for the trout until they reach about 12 inches. The process takes about 16 to 18 months from egg to stocking-size fish. It underwent a major renovation to combat the effects of aging infrastructure and reclaim lost production capability in 2023. Funds for the $7.6 million renovation were raised partially through an angler-supported increase to the state’s trout stamps.

The AGFC regulates Tiger Trout in the Bull Shoals and Norfork Tailwaters with a 24-inch minimum length limit and one-fish daily limit.

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CUTLINES:

FISH AT RAMP
The AGFC recently stocked 200 fast-growing tiger trout below Bull Shoals Dam with plans to stock an additional 3,000 this summer. AGFC photo. 

FEEDING FISH
The Jim Hinkle State Fish Hatchery raises trout from eggs supplied by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. AGFC photo.

BIG FISH
Guide Craig Yowell and client with a White River Tiger Trout. Image courtesy of Donald Cranor.