There is only a month or so left to take advantage of an opportunity most Texas' fishing fans don't have. 

Snagging a Rainbow trout. 

It's not that it's hard, per se, but the colorful species aren't native to the Lone Star State since they can't take the summer's heat. 

Each year the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department creates a controlled environment to hatch these fish to be later released each winter at various lakes, ponds, and rivers. The trout stocking typically begins in late November and continues through March. The state record is 8.24 pounds and was taken from the Canyon Reservoir tailrace, according to the TPWD.

Formally known as Oncorhynchus mykiss, Oncorhynchus is Greek, meaning "hook snout," and mykiss is the name for rainbow trout in the Kamchatkan language, according to the TPWD.

Here are some basics if you decide to head out to cast a line:

• There is no minimum length limit on trout, but there is a five-trout bag limit. 
• There is a two-pole limit if an angler is fishing from a community fishing lake, a dock, pier, or jetty within a Texas State Park. 
• All anglers need a valid fishing license that includes a freshwater fishing endorsement. Anglers under 17 years of age are not required to have a license.
• Licenses and endorsements are not required when fishing within a Texas State Park.

Some of the stocking dates and locations in the Brazos River basin include:

Upper Basin (by County, City, Location and Date)

• Haskell-Haskell-Haskell City Park Pond: 2/12/2023
• Jack-Jacksboro- Fort Richardson State Park: 2/19/2023
• Palo Pinto-Graford-Possum Kingdom Tailrace: 2/9/2023, 2/23/2023
• Taylor-Abilene- Cal Young Park Lake: 2/21/2023
• Taylor-Abilene- Elm Creek Buffalo Wallow: 2/2/2023, 2/21/2023

Central Basin (by County, City, Location and Date)

• Bell-Temple-Miller Park Pond: 2/26/2023
• Coryell-Copperas Cove-Copperas Cove City: 3/5/2023
• McLennan-McGregor-Amsler Park: 2/7/2023
• McLennan-Waco-Buena Vista Park Lake: 2/3/2023, 2/17/2023, 3/3/2023
• Somervell-Glen Rose-Paluxy River at Dinosaur Valley State Park: 2/8/2023

Lower Basin (by County, City, Location and Date)

• Brazos-College Station-Central Park Pond #1: 2/3/2023, 2/17/2023, 3/3/2023
• Leon-Centerville-Fort Boggy State Park: 2/27/2023

For the complete list of dates and locations, go here.