Mason County WinterFisch

Description

The WinterFisch Celebration launches the 9th Annual Mason County WinterFisch season on Saturday, December 6th from 10am to 4:00 pm. The WinterFisch Celebration begins the three months long Mason County WinterFisch Rainbow trout fishing season, which will run through March 1st, 2026. The release location will be at the James River Crossing of the Llano River on Highway 2389. The trout will be released on the downstream side of the bridge as well as at the upstream (western) end of the island. Fishing will be available along the public island, at Dos Rios RV Park, and at the James River Icehouse. The James River Icehouse will allow free access during regular business hours. Day use fees will apply at Dos Rios RV Park to fish from their property after December 6th. The WinterFisch Celebration will feature public Rainbow trout fishing, a variety of fishing and outdoor demonstrations and instruction, cooking of fresh-caught trout, prizes for tagged-fish, and live music from local musicians. To keep everyone fortified there will be breakfast tacos from the Gomez Family and burgers from the James River Icehouse, plus fresh-caught trout cooked by Team WinterFisch at the WinterFisch HQ & Cantina. Sponsored by the Martinez Family and Friends will be the “Big Joe Martinez Memorial Small Fry Contest”, with five exciting awards for the smallest five trout caught by children age twelve and under during the opening day event. Thanks to the incredible ongoing generosity of our many sponsors, this event is free to the public. In addition to the trout fishing fun there will be cash prizes awarded for tagged fish caught. These include red-tagged trout valued at $40 and yellow-tagged trout valued at $20. All submitted tags will be entered into an end-of-season drawing for a great selection of grand prizes. Folks catching a rare golden trout will be eligible to receive a $100 gift certificate from a sponsoring business. The prospect of being able to receive a prize for catching tagged trout, and possibly win a post-season grand prize, has proven to be a very popular aspect of the event. If you are looking for some winter fun for yourself, your family and friends, and your visitors, get your fishing gear ready now! Also, make sure your fishing license is current, and remember to make some time to polish your casting skills before December 6th. Children under 17 do not need a license. Mason County businesses are encouraged to leverage WinterFisch to entice visitors to Mason County and to their businesses during a usually slow time of year. Fishing is a very lucrative market, and according to a 2020 report by the American Sportfishing Association it brings in $4.3 billion annually to Texas businesses. Local Businesses are also encouraged to provide discounts or other special offers to those who participate in WinterFisch in a joint effort to attract visitors. Interested businesses are encouraged to reach out to event organizers with their creative ideas to get their business involved and benefitting. In the meantime, please share freely the many marketing posts that WinterFisch generates on its Facebook page. WinterFisch is Mason County’s participation in the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Winter Rainbow Trout Stocking Program, and is one of 200 select release sites statewide. The Rainbow trout stocking is made possible by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). TPWD contributes 1500 trout to the event and also takes the time to tag many of them for prizes. WinterFisch is paid for by a consortium of in-county and out-of-county businesses and individuals. A complete list of our sponsors can be found at FishTheLlano.com. Please thank these folks when you see them because without them WinterFisch would not be possible. New financial sponsorships are always welcome to help spread the financial burden and to ensure this signature Mason County event continues and improves. WinterFisch information and updates can be found at FishTheLlano.com, or on the WinterFisch Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WinterFisch. For sponsorship, general questions or to become a volunteer, please contact Tony Plutino at tonyplutino@gmail.com or 512-496-2020.