Illinois’ 2012 Spring Trout Fishing Season Opens Apr. 7
OutdoorHub 03.12.12
The 2012 spring trout fishing season in Illinois will begin at 5 a.m. on Saturday, April 7, Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Director Marc Miller announced today.
“From veteran anglers to children getting a first taste of fishing, the spring trout season is always a popular family activity in Illinois,” said IDNR Director Marc Miller. “The spring trout opener is always a big day in Illinois and it’s a great way to begin our new fishing season.”
The IDNR stocks more than 60,000 rainbow trout each spring in bodies of water where trout fishing is permitted during the spring season. The Illinois catchable trout program is funded entirely by those who use the program through the sale of inland trout stamps.
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).
To legally participate in the trout fishing program, anglers must have a valid Illinois fishing license and an inland trout stamp. The annual fishing licenses for the 2012 season are valid through March 31, 2013. Anglers may also purchase a 24-hour Illinois fishing license, which includes trout fishing privileges for the 24-hour period the license is valid. A license is required for fishing in Illinois unless the angler is otherwise exempt (under age 16, blind or disabled, or is an Illinois resident on active military service who is home on leave).
Anglers may not take trout from any of the stocked sites from March 15 to the opening of the season on April 7 at 5 a.m. Anyone attempting to take trout before the legal opening will be issued citations. During the spring trout season the daily possession limit for trout is five fish.
While the statewide spring trout season opens at 5 a.m. on April 7, anglers are reminded to check in advance for any site-specific regulations and the opening time of their favorite trout fishing location.
For more information about the trout stocking program, contact the IDNR Division of Fisheries at 217/782-6424 or check the web site at www.ifishillinois.org.
Anglers in central Illinois are advised that the catchable trout program which operated previously at the IDOT Lake in Springfield has been relocated to the Southwind Park Pond in Springfield. The pond at Southwind Park offers enhanced public amenities and shoreline access.
In addition, anglers in central Illinois will find that the spring catchable trout program in Bloomington has been temporarily relocated from Miller Park Lake to White Oaks Park Lake. The location was changed because the water level in Miller Park Lake has been lowered by the Bloomington Park District to repair the dam, making shoreline access difficult at Miller Park.
Anglers in northwest Illinois are advised that the catchable trout program operated previously at the Coleta Trout Ponds has been relocated to Centennial Park Lake in Rock Falls.
Stocked sites (by county) for the spring catchable trout program:
- Adams County: Siloam Springs State Park Lake
- Boone County: Mill Race Ponds in Belvidere
- Bureau County: Hennepin Canal Parkway
- Cass County: Gurney Road Pond at Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area
- Champaign County: Lake of the Woods
- Christian County: Manners Park Pond, Taylorville Park District
- Cook County: Axehead Lake, Cook County Forest Preserve District
- Cook County: Belleau Lake, Cook County Forest Preserve District
- Cook County: Sag Quarry East, Cook County Forest Preserve District
- Coles County: Eastern Illinois University Campus Pond in Charleston
- DuPage County: Silver Lake, DuPage County Forest Preserve District
- Grundy County: Gebhard Woods State Park Pond
- Jefferson County: Mount Vernon Game Farm Pond
- Jo Daviess County: Apple River and tributaries
- Johnson County: Ferne Clyffe State Park Lake
- Kankakee County: Bird Park Quarry in Kankakee
- Kankakee County: Rock Creek at Kankakee River State Park
- Kendall County: Big Lake at Silver Springs State Park
- Lake County: Banana Lake, Lake County Forest Preserve District
- Lake County: Sand Lake at Illinois Beach State Park
- LaSalle County: Illinois and Michigan Canal at Utica
- Macon County: Sportsman’s Club Pond, Macon County Conservation District
- Marion County: Boston Pond at Stephen A. Forbes State Park
- Massac County: Fairgrounds Pond in Fort Massac State Park, Metropolis
- McLean County: White Oaks Park Lake, Bloomington Park District (Temporary location for Spring 2012)
- McHenry County: Lake Atwood, Hollows Conservation Area, McHenry County Conservation District
- McHenry County: Piscasaw Creek
- Moultrie County: Wyman Lake in Sullivan
- Ogle County: Pine Creek in White Pines State Forest
- Randolph County: Derby Lake at World Shooting and Recreational Complex, Sparta
- St. Clair County: Frank Holten State Park main lake
- St. Clair County: Jones Park Lake in East St. Louis
- Sangamon County: Southwind Park Pond in Springfield (New Location for Spring 2012)
- Sangamon County: Washington Park Pond in Springfield
- Shelby County: Forest Park Lagoon in Shelbyville
- Stephenson County: Waddams Creek (Lake Le-Aqua-Na State Park)
- Stephenson County: Yellow Creek in Krape Park, Freeport
- Vermilion County: Clear Lake at Kickapoo State Park
- Wabash County: Beall Woods Lake, Beall Woods State Park
- Wayne County: Sam Dale Conservation Area Trout Pond
- Whiteside County: Centennial Park Lake in Rock Falls, Coloma Park District (New Location for Spring 2012)
- Will County: Lake Milliken at Des Plaines Conservation Area
- Winnebago County: Four Lakes Forest Preserve, Winnebago County Forest Preserve District
