Another reason to head west, young man - Arizona's First Gila Trout Season

Due to a surplus of Gila (hee-la) Trout in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Mora National Fish Hatchery New Mexico, Arizona will now be having it's first official season for this species.  It's a native species but was decimated prior to any fishing regulations being set in place.

“Arizona has never had an open season on Gila trout. They were thought to have been extirpated from the state before we had regulated fishing seasons,” said Fisheries Chief Kirk Young.

These are being stocked in the Frye Mesa Reservoir in the Pinaleño Mountains. 


Is there anything better than a reintroduction of a native species? You betcha!

“(With the approval and the stocking).... we would create another unique possibility for anglers – fishing for five species of trout on the same mountain – Gila trout, Apache trout, brown trout, rainbow trout and brook trout,” said Don Mitchell, Tucson regional fisheries program manager.

For the record, Gila were introduced in the Frye Mesa in 2009, but fishing is closed in that section while they mature.