Christmas comes early for anglers in Texas! Beginning in early December, we stock hundreds of thousands of rainbow trout in over 100 lakes and ponds. We do it so that adults and children can experience the big fun of wintertime fishing and the treat of eating fresh trout (see recipes, below). 

We don’t say ho-ho-ho, but we do create a list that tells you when and which lakes, ponds and rivers will be stocked with trout. The first list will be posted in mid-November. It’s then updated with dates of additional stockings (not the kind hung by the chimney).

If you live in a city, there are 17 urban lakes that we will regularly stock with rainbows. They’re called Neighborhood Fishin' Lakes and they are the perfect spot for a child or adult to enjoy a day of fishing. We also have information on the Neighborhood Fishin’ Lakes in Spanish. There will also be a number of state park locations stocked with trout. Fishing in state parks is always free, and many of them have tackle they’ll loan you for free, if you want to fish at the park. 

We've put together some exceptional tips on bait, tackle, rigging, etc. to help you catch these feisty fish in stocked waters/ The trout released are 9 to 12 inches long and we expect that most will be caught within a few weeks after being stocked. Eventually, water temperatures get too warm for these fish to survive. But they’ll be out there all winter. So go ahead and let those visions of rainbow trout dance through you head.

At the end of spawning season, the ShareLunker will be returned to you for live release, or you can donate it permanently to the program. You’ll receive a fiberglass replica of the catch, ShareLunker clothing and recognition at the annual awards banquet. The Texan who catches the largest entry of the season is awarded a lifetime fishing license! 

And how about a completely true (we swear) fish story? Watch “The Legend of Ethel,” about the very first Sharelunker that started the entire program. It was hit and miss there for a while… well, you’ll have to watch to get the details. And keep up with the big bass being reeled in this season on the ShareLunker Program Facebook page.

You want to eat fresh fish right away for the best flavor and texture. So, next time you’re out fishing, why not eat your catch right then and there? Campfire cuisine can be pretty simple - the trick is to plan ahead and bring what you’ll need. Try this extremely easy and exceptionally tasty recipe for Campfire Trout to get started. 

Baked fish is a perfect entrée for a dinner party and this recipe for Salt Crusted Whole Fish is a fun way to prepare it. You bake the whole fish in a thick salt shell, then crack the shell off and voila! You present your guests with beautiful, moist fish.

We’ve got more fish recipes you can try out in the Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine “From Pole to Platter” collection, including Hard-Smoked fish for oily catches like bluefish or mullet. And check out this video that we dug up from the ‘60’s, "Time for Seafood." The charming narrator may have some seriously stiff hair, but she’s right on with her tips on cooking fish - oh, sorry, her tips on “seafood cookery.”

Photo credit: Nanaz Ahmedi

Red tide continues to occur along the Texas coast from Matagorda Bay to South Padre Island. Red tide is a high concentration (called a “bloom”) of a microscopic algae known as Karenia brevis.

Three common signs of a red tide bloom are:

• discolored water
• dead fish
• breathing difficulty in humans

The fish caught in a red tide die because the algae produces a toxin that makes them unable to breathe. It's usually okay to eat fish, crabs and shrimp during a red tide bloom, but do NOT eat shellfish containing red tide toxins as you may become seriously ill. It's important to recognize that red tide has happened before, and the Texas marine environment has always recovered.  

Breathing the air near red tides or swimming in red tides may cause irritation. The eye and throat irritation occurs most often when the red tide is in rough surf. There is little or no irritation when surf conditions are calm.

It's almost impossible to say exactly where the red tide is at any given moment, because blooms constantly move around due to winds and tides. But, the Red Tide Rangers, a dedicated volunteer group, monitor South Padre Island coastal waters for the presence of harmful algae blooms, including the red tide. They are trained to monitor coastal waters daily, checking for algae presence and amount, fish kills and other indicators, then reporting this information to state and federal agencies. Here’s a shout out to these citizen scientists for keeping tabs on our coast!

To get the latest information on where red tide has been detected, check online. Red tide updates will also appear on the Facebook page for harmful algal blooms. You can also follow @TPWDNews on Twitter for updates.

Sight-casting is focused fishing: you watch for the sign of a game fish and then cast your lure right on that spot. Once you start looking for signs, you’ll be amazed at what you notice: surface bait fish, a swirl in the water, flipping bait fish; all these things indicate a big boy is likely lurking below. And if you see a game fish’s fin pop up through the surface, that’s a sign it’s your lucky day!

But luck eventually takes a back seat to skill when it comes to sight-casting. Some anglers equate it with hunting because you actually sight and stalk your fish. And it’s vital that your first shot is accurate. So practice your cast until you’re confident you can land it in the bull’s-eye. And, as with hunting, it’s good to have a buddy along to help keep an eye out for signs of game fish, especially if you’re fishing from a boat.

Where can you work on this new-found technique? Anywhere you know there are fish; but the more shallow the water, the more success you’ll have when starting out. Why not try sight-fishing on some of the Texas Paddling Trails? The Mustang Island State Park Paddling Trail passes through some of the best shallow-water saltwater fishing areas in Texas, which means plenty of red drum, some of the best fish for sight-casting (and eating!).

All you need is practice, patience and polarized lenses to start wowing your friends with your fish-stalking technique. Practice is the key - if you don’t get the skills, you won't get the thrills!