Bush wildlife at Weldon Springs

[Thom]

My pastor, who I have trout fished with a few times, called me yesterday and said his neighbor had a 10 # fish that he caught at one of the Busch wildlife trout ponds that are stocked in the winter. When he went over to see it the rainbow was over 10 # and the neighbor had another one that looked to be 15".

I didn't know that they stocked lunkers or even the larger ones. Most that I have caught were 10 to 12 inches and hard to catch because they tend to stay in the middle of the lakes during the day. I don't know if this was one that maybe was a hold over that summered in deep water or a spring hole. I know that there are lots of small minnows, bluegill and crayfish for food.

A couple of the lakes are flys only and catch and release until spring and a couple are anything goes.

[jdmidwest]

In our local lake in Jackson, they stock a few lunkers for sport. I think the local TU chapter buys them and has them stocked with the rest. It is catch and release only till Feb 1, then they encourage fishing all of them out. Trout can survive higher temp water, they just quit feeding. I doubt if they have any holdovers, but nature has a way of adapting.