Mark Reed of Blanchard with his new Oklahoma state record rainbow trout that he caught from Lake Watonga in November. The fish weighed 10-lb., 10.56-oz., breaking the nearly half-century-old state record of 10 lbs., 4 oz.
A new state record rainbow trout was caught recently from Lake Watonga at Roman Nose State Park, reminding Oklahomans that this non-native, cold-water fish is in season and providing plenty of angling action across the state. On Nov. 17, Mark Reed of Blanchard caught the 10-lb., 10.56-oz. rainbow, breaking the nearly half-century-old state record of Billy Payne, who caught his 10-lb., 4-oz. trout from the Illinois River in July of 1966.
Reed’s fish was 27 3/4 inches in length and 17 1/2 inches in girth. He caught the fish from the west side of the lake using a copper-colored Super Duper 502 with a red head.
“Mr. Reed asked his sons to accompany him to Roman Nose State Park,” said Keith Thomas, central region fisheries biologist for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation who certified the record. “They turned him down – too cold and wanted to sleep in. They’re kicking themselves now.”
At Thomas’ encouragement, Reed is having the fish mounted.
Native to cold-water streams, trout can survive all year long in Oklahoma’s two year-round trout areas (the Lower Mountain Fork River and Lower Illinois River), but generally cannot survive year-round in Oklahoma’s warm waters. However, they can be stocked for fishing during the winter, providing a unique opportunity to anglers. There are six seasonal trout fisheries in Oklahoma that are stocked throughout most of the fall and winter, usually beginning Nov. 1 and continuing into March. According to fisheries biologists, however, it’s possible Reed’s record fish wasn’t stocked this year. The fish’s excellent body condition and the documentation of over-summering trout because of cold water from springs that flow into Lake Watonga could mean the fish had been in the lake for some time.
Thomas said the big fish was colorful, had healthy fins and showed no bodily abrasions that are typical of trout that have recently come from a hatchery, where the fish are more pale in color and raised in concrete raceways. Once the trout acclimate to their new environment and start eating natural foods, their bright color comes out and their body conditions improve.
“Due to cold water from springs that flow into Lake Watonga, it is possible that this fish survived and grew to become our new state record rainbow trout.”
Though it cannot be confirmed whether the fish was stocked this year or in a previous year, it remains that Reed’s fish is one for the record books.
