TROUT STOCKING SEASON BEGINS THIS WEEK

[Rick]

After another long Iowa winter, many anglers are anxious to get started trout fishing. The popular trout stocking season began this week and will continue through the end of October.

Most streams are stocked with catchable size rainbow and brook trout on a weekly basis. Some stream stockings are announced on the stocking information line and other stream stockings are not announced.

Another attraction for young anglers is a “kids only” trout fishing pond located at Big Spring Hatchery, which will be open for fishing beginning May 1.

Due to the wet spring and existing conditions from last years flooding, certain stream sections will only be stocked as vehicle access permits.

“We should be able to get into most of them once things dry up a little,” said Gary Siegwarth of Big Spring Trout Hatchery. “We usually don’t see too many anglers out in the early part of the season, so there should be an abundance of trout to catch.” In addition, many streams support abundant brown trout populations established from fingerling stockings or from natural reproduction.

One of the most essential items to get you started other than a fishing license and trout privilege is the Iowa Trout Guide. These guides are free and contain useful information about trout fishing and the trout program as well as a colored map of how to get to each stream. Trout Guides can be picked up from any of the three hatcheries in Manchester, Elkader, or Decorah.