FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
9/16/2014
CONTACTS:
Chris Young
217-557-1240
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