Missouri Delays Winter Trout Stocking at Popular Fishing Spots

This is the time of year when Missouri begins their plans for restocking of trout in popular fishing place. This year has seen changes that have caused conservation officials to make the decision to postpone the annual winter trout restocking for now.

The Missouri Department of Conservation just announced in a press release that the winter trout restock is off - for now. Under normal circumstances, approximately 70,000 rainbow trout raised in the state's 4 different hatcheries would be distributed among the popular Missouri fishing spots. The problem this year is the weather.

“Trout are a cold-water species and require water temperatures around 55 to 60 degrees,” said MDC Hatchery Systems Manager Clint Hale. “Entering waters warmer than what they’re accustomed to can be a shock to their system, ultimately resulting in their death.”

Unseasonably warm weather during the Fall months so far has caused the Missouri Department of Conservation to pump the brakes on the typical rainbow trout restock.

“Our goal is to stock healthy trout that can thrive all winter to provide anglers as many fishing opportunities as possible,” Hale explained. “With cooler conditions forecasted in the coming week, water temperatures will drop enough that the fish can be stocked.”

As of this writing, I have not seen a rescheduled date for the trout restock in Missouri, but that's likely due to the uncertainty of when colder temperatures will arrive and remain heading into the winter months. You can find out more about trout fishing in Missouri through the state's official site.