Illinois Fall Trout Fishing Season Opens October 18

SPRINGFIELD, IL � The 2014 Illinois fall trout fishing season opens on Saturday, Oct. 18 at 50 ponds, lakes and streams throughout the state.  New this fall will be catch-and-release fly fishing at a handful of sites beginning Oct. 4. Fly fishing anglers can use their gear to catch and release trout on selected sites noted below.  No trout may be kept during this period.  Fly fishing anglers can keep trout after the opening of the regular season beginning Oct. 18. Waters noted with a (**) are open for early fly fishing.

�The fall trout fishing season is an enjoyable family tradition that is expanded this year with fly fishing at selected locations,� said Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Director Marc Miller said. �Catch-and-release fishing will help extend the season and provide more opportunity for more people this fall.�

The Illinois catchable trout program is funded entirely by those who use the program through the sale of inland trout stamps.  Approximately 80,000 trout are stocked by IDNR at the locations listed below just prior to the opening of the fall trout season. 

No trout may be taken from any of the stocked sites from Oct. 1 until the fall trout season opens at 5 a.m. on Oct. 18.  Anyone attempting to take (harvest) trout before the legal harvest season opening will be issued citations. 

All anglers � including those using fly-fishing gear who intend to release fish caught before Oct. 18 -- must have a fishing license and an inland trout stamp, unless they are under the age of 16, blind or disabled, or are an Illinois resident on leave from active duty in the Armed Forces. The daily catch limit for each angler is five trout.

Not all sites open at 5 a.m. on opening day. Anglers are reminded to check the opening time of their favorite trout fishing location prior to the season.

For more information on fall trout season and other Illinois fishing opportunities, check the web site at www.ifishillinois.org.

Illinois fishing licenses and inland trout stamps are available at DNR Direct license and permit locations, including many bait shops, sporting goods stores and other retail outlets.  For a location near you, check the IDNR website at this link:  http://dnr.illinois.gov/DNRDirectMonitor/VendorListing.aspx

Fishing licenses and trout stamps can also be purchased by using a credit card through DNR Direct online via the IDNR website at www.dnr.illinois.gov, or by calling DNR Direct toll-free at 1-888-6PERMIT (1-888-673-7648).

For more information about all site regulations, anglers should contact individual sites that will be stocked with catchable-size trout. The 50 locations are:

 North --- Bureau County  --- Hennepin Canal Parkway
 North --- Cook County --- Axehead Lake, Cook County Forest Preserve District
 North ---  Cook County --- Wolf Lake at William W. Powers State Recreation Area, Chicago
 North --- Cook County --- Green Lake, Cook County Forest Preserve District
 North --- Cook County  --- Belleau Lake, Cook County Forest Preserve District
 North --- DuPage County --- Silver Lake, DuPage County Forest Preserve District
 North --- Jo Daviess County --- Apple River, Apple River State Park **
 North --- Kankakee County --- Bird Park Quarry, Kankakee
 North --- Kendall County --- Big Lake, Silver Springs State Park
 North --- Lake County --- Banana Lake, Lake County Forest Preserve District
 North --- Lake  County --- Sand Lake, Illinois Beach State Park
 North ---  McDonough County -- Argyle Lake, Argyle Lake State Park
 North ---  McHenry County -- Spring Grove Hatchery Pond, Spring Grove
 North --- Ogle County --- Pine Creek, White Pines State Park  **
 North --- Rock Island County --- Prospect Park Lake, Moline
 North --- Warren County --- Citizen's Lake, Monmouth
 North --- Cook County --- Busse Woods North Lake
 North --- Whiteside  County --- Centennial Park Pond, Rock Falls
 North --- Will County -- Lake Strini at Conservation Park, Romeoville
 North --- Will County -- Van Horn Woods, Plainfield
 
 Central --- Adams County --- Siloam Springs State Park Lake  **
 Central --- Cass County --- Gridley Lake, Jim Edgar Panther Creek SFWA  **
 Central --- Christian County --- Manners Park Pond,Taylorville Park District
 Central --- Coles County --- Eastern Illinois University Campus Pond, Charleston
 Central --- Douglas County ---Villa Grove West Lake
 Central --- Hancock County --- Horton Lake, Navoo State Park  **
 Central --- Macon County --- Rock Springs Pond, Macon County Conservation
 Central --- Macoupin  County --- Beaver Dam Lake
 Central --- Sangamon County ---  Southwind Park, Springfield
 Central --- Sangamon County --- IDOT Lake, Springfield   **
 Central --- Sangamon  County --- Washington Park Pond, Springfield
 Central --- Shelby County --- Forest Park Lagoon, Shelbyville
 Central --- Tazewell County --- Mineral Springs Park Lagoon, Pekin
 Central --- Vermilion County --- Clear Lake, Kickapoo State Park

South --- Bond County --- Patriot's Park Lake (Greenville Old City Lake)
 South --- Crawford County --- Crawford County Conservation Area Pond
 South --- Jefferson  County --- Mount Vernon Game Farm Pond
 South --- Johnson County --- Feme Clyffe State Park Lake
 South --- Madison County --- Highland Old City Lake
 South --- Marion County --- Boston Pond, Stephen A. Forbes State Park
 South --- Massac County --- Fairgrounds Pond, Fort Massac State Park
 South --- Randolph County --- Derby Lake, Sparta World Shooting and Recreational Complex
 South --- Randolph County --- Randolph County State Fish and Wildlife Area Lake
 South --- Saline County --- Jones Lake Trout Pond, Saline County State Fish & Wildlife Area
 South --- St. Clair County --- Frank Holten State Park, Main Lake
 South ---St. Clair County --- Jones Park Lake, East St. Louis
 South --- St. Clair County --- Willow Lake, Peabody River King State Fish and Wildlife Area
 South --- Wabash County --- Beall Woods Lake, Beall Woods State Park
 South --- Wayne County --- Sam Dale Trout Pond, Sam Dale Lake Conservation Area
 South--- Williamson County---Devil�s Kitchen Lake

**  Denotes Fly Fishing Catch-and-Release Only Season

 

Follow IDNR on Facebook and Twitter