Oversummer Survival of Guadalupe River Rainbow Trout Looks Excellent in 2010

Media Contact: Steve Magnelia, (512) 353-0072, icle__media__contact">Media Contact: Steve Magnelia, (512) 353-0072, Stephan.magnelia@tpwd.texas.gov

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ATHENS — Trout fishing prospects on the Guadalupe River in fall 2010 look promising. The Guadalupe River below Canyon Lake is the southernmost trout fishery in the United States and the only fishery in Texas where rainbow trout survive through the summer.

An October 19, 2010 fish sampling survey by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) Inland Fisheries staff on the Guadalupe River below Canyon Lake indicates that good numbers of rainbow trout successfully oversummered this year.

While oversummer survival of rainbow trout in this fishery is not a new finding, the electrofishing catch rate of 10 trout per hour was among the top five highest catch rates recorded since 1993.

Rainbow trout captured in the October 2010 survey ranged from 1.4 to 3.6 pounds and had excellent body condition. Collection of these fish corroborates reports from anglers who reported good catches of trout to TPWD staff during the hot summer of 2010.

Oversummer survival of rainbow trout in the Guadalupe River below Canyon Lake is dependent on keeping water temperatures below 71 degrees Fahrenheit. A 2001 flow agreement between Guadalupe River Trout Unlimited and the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority was negotiated to assure flows from Canyon Lake Dam are adequate for sustaining rainbow trout through the hot Texas summer.

The fishery is listed by Trout Unlimited as among the top 100 trout streams in North America. The stretch of the river from the easternmost bridge crossing on Texas 306 to the second bridge crossing on River Road has a restrictive length and daily bag limit for rainbow and brown trout. Anglers should consult the current TPWD Outdoor Annual for specific fishing regulations for this fishery.