Mountain Home, Arkansas – Anglers are aiming for a prized trophy trout this winter, and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission intends to make sure hunters are aware of nests getting ready to spawn more.
Trout Program Coordinator Christy Graham stated, “The AGFC Trout Management Program advises anglers to be aware of spawning activity during this time of year and to exercise caution when wade fishing to avoid trampling over redds.”
According to her, fishermen should use caution when wading in order to avoid stepping on redds during this time.
“Anglers should also be aware that the White and Little Red Rivers have seasonal regulations that align with the brown trout spawning season.”
Warmwater species often have a spawning season that runs from spring to summer. On the other hand, Arkansas trout typically wait for a cooler season before beginning their yearly reproductive cycles.
Federal and state fish hatcheries stock brook trout and cutthroat trout in The Natural State, according to a release.
They are almost all rainbows. There is some brown trout that reproduce naturally in many trout waters. Below Greers Ferry, there is a brown trout fishery in the Little Red River.
Wild-spawned trout are recognized for helping to sustain the brown trout fishery.
In addition to protecting nests, trout can also steal nests.
When a huge brown trout is removed, the displacement may result in a response.
The move may injure already fragile fish, but it may also create opportunities for predators and other trout to kill the redd.
The Bull Shoals Catch-and-Release Area along Bull Shoals White River State Park is off-limits to fishing from November 1 to January 31 each year.
During this time, the region immediately downstream of the Bull Shoals Catch-and-Release area becomes a catch-and-release area exclusively for brown trout.
The purpose of these regulations was to keep brown trout from being removed from the tailwater while they were spawning.
“It’s pretty easy to identify trout redds,” Graham said. Patches of small to medium-sized gravel that are two to three feet in diameter are where they can be discovered.
In general, the gravel in redds is lighter in color than the surrounding gravel. gravel that has been dug up and spread up over the eggs in a tiny depression.
When it comes to spawning fish, particularly brown trout, some fishermen choose to forego the fishing experience.
Anglers and Rainbow trout alike are drawn to egg patterns. Fishing becomes a little easier for individuals aiming for a catch when the wet water creature detects brown trout eggs downstream and in other locations distant from the nest.
“There are a few things you can do to lessen the damage caused by angling during this time if you do end up fishing around brown spawning areas,” Graham added.
“We always want anglers to use the best possible catch-and-release practices, but it’s even more critical during the spawn.”
According to Graham, rather than avoiding the spawning fish, anglers might contribute significantly to the supply of fish for the following year.
• Snagging Fish
Avoid snagging fish, no matter how tempting it can be to “set the hook a little early.”
• Barbless Hooks
Use barbless hooks to minimize damage to the fish’s mouth and land the fish as quickly as possible
• Landing Fish
Wet your hands to land the fish and minimize the amount of time it stays out of the water, so that it may return to its redd as soon as possible.
