Keep in mind where the stocked fish are put into the river as well. It's very likely that the fish were stocked right at the campground area since the game warden or hatchery folks would have had to hike up or down the river like you did carrying the fish in buckets. I've stocked fish when I was younger and it's not easy work. If the fish were recently stocked they will hang out in the same area for a few days before they really spread out. It sounds like you hit the river a day or so after the fish were stocked and most of the fish were still near where they had been stocked and stil used to their food being brownish pellets.

Just a thought...

Jim Smith