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Floods temporarily impact rainbow trout growth

The Missouri Department of Conservation alerts anglers that rainbow trout caught at Montauk State Park and Maramec Trout Park near St. James may be smaller than usual for a short time. This is due to the record number of flood events, six this spring, impacting the Department’s Montauk Hatchery near Licking. The Department has noted growth rates of rainbow trout have slowed during the late spring and early summer of 2013.

According to the Department, reduced growth rates are a response to the warmer, more turbid water conditions associated with flooding. As a result, anglers will notice a small and temporary reduction in the length of fish stocked at Montauk State Park and at Maramec Trout Park near St. James.

“With improving conditions, the size of fish stocked should return to normal lengths in August,” said Brian Canaday, MDC’s Fisheries Field Operations Chief for the Ozarks.

Department staff has worked throughout the spring to avoid losing fish during the flooding. Thanks to recent hatchery improvements and the hard work and dedication of staff at Montauk, the Department assures impacts to anglers will be minimal and short term.

While you couldn’t tell it by this rainbow trout caught on private property this past spring, the MDC is warning that rainbows taken at Montauk and Maramec trout parks may be running smaller than usual for a time.

While you couldn’t tell it by this rainbow trout caught on private property this past spring, the MDC is warning that rainbows taken at Montauk and Maramec trout parks may be running smaller than usual for a time.

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