The final winter trout stockings in the Phoenix and Tucson area Urban lakes will take place the week of March 4-9. Urban lake water temperatures are rising into the 60s, signaling the annual stocking changeover from winter trout to spring catfish. This weeks trout delivery will be the ninth one of the season, concluding a very successful winter stocking season of 100 percent on-time deliveries. For the fourth year in a row, the trout were larger than normal and averaged about ½ pound each. At Paysons Green Valley Lakes, trout stockings will continue every two weeks for another two months until the middle of May.

All Urban Program lakes and ponds in the Phoenix and Tucson areas will be stocked with 1.5 pound average channel catfish on Thursday, March 21. Catfish sizes this spring are expected to be average or a bit bigger according to our Arkansas-based contractor. Catfish will run from 14-19 inches in length. Beginning with the spring season kick-off stocking, catfish will be stocked seven times through mid June at rates averaging from 40 to 60 fish per acre. More than 13,000 pounds of Arkansas farm-raised catfish will be delivered and stocked into 19 Urban Fishing Program lakes every two weeks throughout the spring.   back...