Gone Fishin'

State of Texas stocks Houston-area ponds with thousands of trout

Sheldon Lake State Park and Environmental Learning Center in Houston, Texas

Texas Parks and Wildlife is stocking the ponds with rainbow trout.

Courtesy of Texas Parks and Wildlife

Anglers get ready, because the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will be stocking various Houston-area ponds with rainbow trout as part of their annual winter tradition.

"The goal of the rainbow trout (oncorhynchus mykiss) stocking program is to release catchable size rainbow trout into reservoir tail waters, lakes, ponds, and urban ponds in Texas to provide winter fishing opportunities," says TPWD press spokesman Kirk McDonnell. "The rainbow trout stocking program has increased from 10,000 rainbow trout stocked in four sites in 1966 to 359,000 rainbow trout stocked in 200 sites in 2023-24. Over 6,200,000 catchable size rainbow trout have been stocked by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department over the last 20 years."

The Kickerillo-Mischer preserve in Cypress and Tom Bass Park in South Houston were restocked in early December, though they are getting additional fish this month as well. Other Houston-area parks with ponds that will receive rainbow trout in January are Bane, Eisenhower, and Sheldon. Waterways in Friendswood, Conroe, Spring, Katy, Missouri City, Pasadena, and Rosenberg are all participating in the program. For a full list of parks and restocking dates, visit the TPWD website.

Anglers are encouraged to bag the five-fish maximum during the winter months. Rainbow trout do not do well in the warmer seasons and will not survive the summer. Recommended equipment are a light-action rod and reel with small hooks and light line, small bobbers, and small split shot. While rainbow trout can grow to almost 50 pounds., the ones being released into Texas lakes and ponds are generally between 1-5 pounds, so lightweight equipment is fine. Preferred baits are salmon eggs, whole kernel corn, marshmallows, small worms, or prepared trout bait. Bring a cooler if planning to keep catches.

"The Rainbow Trout Program is a very popular program with urban and rural Texans," says McDonnell. "Rainbow Trout are stocked in 18 urban fishing ponds during winter months as part of the Neighborhood Fishin’ program. An additional 190 sites around the state are stocked at the request of District Fisheries Conservation and Management Biologists and at the request of partner cities and local parks departments. Spending time outdoors has been shown to be very beneficial for children and families. Fishing is a great way to connect young people with nature and can be great fun in the process."

For full park hours, restrictions, and other fishing information, contact the park you are planning to visit. Texas anglers do not require a license or stamp to fish within the boundaries of a Texas State Park, but anglers should always confirm whether a particular fishing spot falls under that jurisdiction. Children under 17 do not require licenses. Good luck on the banks this winter.

blast off

Houston Rockets' bold new uniforms revive 'ketchup and mustard' look

Courtesy of Houston Rockets

Championship Yellow is once again part of the Rockets' uniforms.

The eyes of the NBA may be on the finals matchup between the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks, but the Houston Rockets are already thinking about next season.

The team unveiled new uniforms that revive the signature red-and-yellow “ketchup and mustard” uniforms the team wore when it won back-to-back NBA Championships in 1994 and 1995. Take a first look at them in the photos above, or in this video the team posted to social media.

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“From the time my family bought the team in 2017, we’ve heard from countless fans about how deeply those colors are tied to their memories of Rockets basketball,” said Patrick Fertitta, vice chairman of the Houston Rockets and Comets, in a statement. “We wanted to create something that celebrates the generations of fans who built Rockets basketball while inspiring the next generation of Rockets fans.”

While the return of “Championship Yellow” is new, the Rockets’ uniforms are still centered around the team’s signature “R” logo, which is featured prominently throughout. The “Dunkstronaut,” an astronaut dunking a basketball that was first introduced in the “City” uniforms, has been more fully integrated into the team’s branding. A new global logo takes inspiration from NASA mission patches, with two yellow quasars symbolizing the franchise’s move from San Diego to Houston in 1971.

Other details include a “Clutch City” jock tag that’s framed by the two quasars. Each pair of shorts has the “R” logo and the Dunkstronaut on the waistband.

In addition to the standard “Icon” and “Association” editions that will be the team’s standard home and away uniforms, a “Statement” jersey uses black fabric to symbolize the vastness of space, quasar-inspired pinstripes, and rockets rising along the side panels.

Initial reaction to the new has been overwhelmingly positive. Consider the take of writer Jeff Balke, who offered some thoughts in a column for the Houston Press.

“It’s interesting that there was a point Houston sports teams and residents wanted to do everything they could to distance themselves from what many thought was a rather embarrassing past,” he writes. “But, as an entire generation (yay, Gen X!) grew up in the city and embraced both the good and the bad, a real pride in our collective weirdness began to shape our collective identity. In terms of our city’s psyche, this feels like another step in the right direction.”

Speaking of nostalgia, the team leaned in with this promo video set at Rudy T’s, a fictional diner named for legendary Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich. Starring Houston comedian Mo Amer, the clip features cameos by Rockets legends such as Hakeem Olajuwon, Ralph Sampson, Calvin Murphy, Rudy Tomjanovich, and many more.