Water ran over the rocks cemented into a sculpted ditch the park called a ‘stream.’ The concrete pond named after President Eisenhower claimed to be a lake. The California stocking program put trout into the small impoundment, which recycles the cloudy blue water in a persistently running circuit, last week. The lake, with its shallow edges and deep center, filled with four bubbling fountains, was circled by anglers. I held the only fly rod to be seen. We were all here for the trout.
Stocked trout, in southern California — it was hard to believe. The same type of trout I encounter in Colorado.
Stocker is a term referring to trout which come from a hatchery. Usually rainbow trout, these fish are placed in waters across the state by Colorado Parks and Wildlife. They are the same type of fish raised in California hatcheries as well as numerous other states in an effort to maintain continuity and quality of angling in regularly-fished locations.
Supplementing the fish population in areas where heavy fishing presence occurs and fish are harvested regularly is a necessity to maintain recreational angling opportunities. These types of destinations are referred to as “put and take” locations. And they rely on stockers.
According to its website, Colorado Parks and Wildlife “manages 19 separate state hatcheries, responsible for spawning, raising, and releasing upwards of 90 million fish into public waters annually.” That is a lot of fish. Not all of them are trout.
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The Rifle Falls Fish Hatchery, one of 19 hatcheries in Colorado, is located to the west of Eagle County along I-70. The fish from this hatchery are mainly used for Western Slope stocking.
The Colorado Fishing Atlas is a tool provided on the CPW website. It’s a valuable asset for locating and researching all of the water where CPW places fish. This tool even indicates trout size. Some locations receive catchable trout (10 inches or larger) and sub-catchable juvenile or fry.
Stocker trout are raised on pellet food. When stocked in new water, it takes a little time for the fish to fall back on their genetically implanted ability to feed on natural food sources. As such, stocked trout can be caught with brightly-colored flies imitating eggs and the pellet food used in the hatchery.
Worm patterns like the Squirmy Wormy or a San Juan worm are effective. Scuds are another proven fly that can be a natural olive color or bright orange. Scuds turn orange when they die. The orange resembles pellets, too, making them doubly attractive to stockers.
A stocked rainbow trout, also known as a stocker.Michael Salomone/Courtesy photo
Small, unintimidating streamers — like unweighted Woolly Buggers in black or olive — draw strikes from stockers, too. Some streamers that are too large or stripped aggressively appear threatening and will scare stockers. Beadhead Zebra midge imitates a natural food source that stockers feed on early and often, especially in stillwaters.
Nottingham Lake in Avon receives trout stocking and represents the most urban location with a perimeter sidewalk and manicured appearance. This is a great family or kid-friendly spot.
Wilmor Pond is an often overlooked and passed-by location on the side of I-70 between Edwards and Wolcott. While anglers will need to tolerate traffic sounds, Wilmor Pond has plenty of parking and is stocked for enjoyment. Rainbow trout are the main attraction. This deep hole is a hidden gem holding one of the region’s attractive geologic storybooks. Exposed bands of colorful sedimentary rock tell the tales predating recorded history.
Gypsum Ponds State Wildlife Area offers superb public access to stocked ponds in a natural setting with maintained trails. There is a paved perimeter path around a portion of the first lake and a dock intended for handicapped fishing access. Continued paths are dirt but hard packed and have a small bridge in between the first, lower pond and the smaller upper pond.
The pond on the southern edge of Camp Hale is another location stocked by CPW; it also provides a spectacular setting for stockers.
The value in stocked trout is tremendously high. Knowing there are fish in a body of water is a good feeling. Stockers present a guaranteed opportunity — whether in California or Colorado.
The author chases stocker rainbow trout in California last week.Michael Salomone/Courtesy photo
Michael Salomone has lived in the Eagle River valley since 1992. He started his professional guiding career in 2002 and currently guides for Vail Valley Anglers. He lives on the bank of the Eagle River with his wife, Lori, his youngest daughter, Ella and a yellow Labrador named Poppy. His published writing has appeared in Southwest Fly Fishing, Fly Rod & Reel, Eastern Fly Fishing, On the Fly, FlyLords, the Pointing Dog Journal, Upland Almanac, TROUT, American Fly Fishing, USA Today Hunt & Fish, and Fly Fisherman magazines.