BELLA VISTA — Anglers should still catch rainbow trout into next fall at Lake Brittany, even though the fish are no longer stocked.

Recent cuts by the Bella Vista Property Owners Association mean there’s no money to buy trout to stock at the 35-acre lake.

Darrell Bowman, lakes ecologist and fisheries manager for the POA, thinks trout fishing will remain “decent” through 2013.

Meanwhile, restoring the trout program isn’t out of the question, said Tommy Bailey, POA general manager.

“Trout stocking at Lake Brittany has been put on hold for the remainder of winter-spring 2013. The decision is all funding related,” Bailey wrote in an email.

“We are reviewing our revenue and cost opportunities to bring in more revenue and reduce costs. My hope is that funding will be restored to the trout program in time for the October 2013 stocking.”

The trout program costs the POA about $24,000 annually, Bailey added.

Bowman said that some trout survive through the summer at Lake Brittany. At 70 feet, the reservoir is deep enough the cold-water fi sh can find cool water during summer.

“We’ve built up a true trout population. It’s not just a seasonal thing,” Bowman said.

Anglers may not catch as many trout as when the fish were stocked monthly during fall and winter. Bowman said they should catch some fi sh through fall and early winter.

If funding isn’t restored, reducing the harvest to keep trout fishing going longer may be considered, Bowman said.

Outdoor, Pages 7 on 02/07/2013