Medicine Creek is a beautiful place to fish, whether the trout bite or not

“People are happy about the opportunity, but so far the fishing has been behind the curve,” Cofer said. “We are not sure why it's been slow. We are hoping it picks up.”

About 1,000 anglers have visited Medicine Creek since it opened for trout fishing on Jan. 1, Cofer said.

Medicine Park provides a scenic setting for trout fishing and a nice fishing destination for families. Sidewalks that blend into the granite rock surroundings line the banks of the creek for easy fishing access.

And when the kids get tired of fishing, there are restaurants and shops in Medicine Park that are within walking distance of Medicine Creek. Lake Lawtonka and the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge also are nearby.

So far, Medicine Creek has been stocked with 2,000 trout by the Wildlife Department and another stocking is scheduled next week.

The average-sized trout stocked in the creek is 1.7 pounds. Most of the trout are being caught on Power Bait fishing on the bottom or just off the bottom, Cofer said.

Trout are placed above two low water dams on the creek. Trout will be stocked from the Gondola Dam downstream to the 49 bridge every two week until trout season officially ends March 15, but “those fish will caught through March,” Cofer said.