Date: 11/5//08
Contact: C. Douglas Nielsen
Phone: (702) 486-5127, ext. 3500

TROUT STOCKING UNDERWAY IN SOUTHERN NEVADA

The Nevada Department of Wildlife began its annual trout stocking program in the Las Vegas area earlier this week. Rainbow trout were stocked in each of the urban ponds, which are located at Floyd Lamb, Lorenzi and Sunset parks in the Las Vegas Valley and at Veterans Memorial Park in Boulder City. Hafen Park in Mesquite is scheduled to receive trout in the near future.

Trout plants at Lake Mohave and Lake Mead are scheduled to resume during the weeks of Nov. 10 and Nov. 17 respectively. Anglers should be aware, however, that the Lake Mead plant is dependent on water temperature in the lake. If the temperature is still too warm, the Lake Mead plants may be postponed until the water is cold enough to accommodate the trout.

“As a rule we will plant trout at the urban ponds and Lake Mohave every other week. However, there are times when the plants will be more frequent than that,” said Clyde Parke, manager of the Lake Mead Fish Hatchery. “The schedule calls for weekly plants at Lake Mead, usually on Fridays.”

Due to the closure of the Lake Mead Fish Hatchery following the discovery of quagga mussels in the Colorado River system in early 2007, trout for the urban ponds will come from NDOW’s Mason Valley Hatchery near Yerington. That means the actual dates and times of each trout plant will be dependent on road conditions and travel time between Mason Valley and Las Vegas.

This year anglers also will see a change in stocking locations on both Mead and Mohave. Due to construction of a new water intake at Saddle Cove, NDOW will no longer plant trout at that location, Instead the agency will plant trout at Crawdad Cove off of Northshore Road and at Boulder Harbor where Lake Mead Marina used to be. The Hemenway fishing point is still on the schedule. At Lake Mohave trout will no longer be planted at Cottonwood Cove. Instead NDOW will stock the fish below Hoover Dam. Aztec Wash and Placer Cover will continue to receive fish.

NDOW generally plants trout in Southern Nevada waters from early November through March. Water temperature is the determining factor.

The Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) protects, restores and manages fish and wildlife, promotes fishing, hunting, and boating safety. NDOW’s wildlife and habitat conservation efforts are primarily funded by sportsmen’s license and conservation fees and a Federal surcharge on hunting and fishing gear. Support wildlife and habitat conservation in Nevada by purchasing a hunting, fishing, or combination license. For more information, visit www.ndow.org.