It's a Texas winter tradition as we begin stocking thousands of easy-to-catch, tasty rainbow trout in ponds, lakes and rivers across the state.

Any age or skill level can enjoy the thrill of fishing for rainbows. To increase your chances of success, our biologist created a video with 6 tips for catching rainbow trout.

TPWD plans to stock 342,373 rainbow trout in Texas from Nov. 27 through March 9. Because rainbow trout are unable to survive in most areas of Texas after winter, due to the warm water temperatures, anglers are encouraged to keep up to their daily bag limit of 5 trout. Exceptions exist within special trout management zones on the Guadalupe River downstream of Canyon Lake, which often remains cool enough for rainbow trout to survive year-round. So get out there with your friends and family, spend time outdoors, enjoy the crisp air, and catch some feisty, colorful trout!

If you’re new to trout fishing, watch these rainbow trout cleaning and cooking videos for tips on what to do with your catch.

Trout Stocking Schedule