Early Spring Catch-and-Release Opportunity Opens March 21 at select sites
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – The 2020 Illinois Spring Trout Fishing Season will open Saturday, April 4 at 56 ponds, lakes and streams throughout the state. An early opportunity at select trout sites – the Spring Catch-and-Release Fishing Season – will open March 21.
No trout may be kept during the catch and release fishing period, but anglers can keep trout after the opening of the regular season beginning April 4.
The Illinois Catchable Trout Program is funded by those who use the program through the sale of Inland Trout Stamps. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) stocks more than 80,000 rainbow trout each year in bodies of water where trout fishing is permitted during the spring season. An additional 80,000 trout will be stocked for the Fall Trout Fishing Season, which begins in October.
For the 2020 spring trout season, no trout may be taken from any of the stocked sites from March 15 until the season opens at 5:00 a.m. April 4. Anyone attempting to harvest trout before the legal harvest season opening will be issued citations.
All anglers – including those who intend to release fish caught before April 4 – 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. Two traditional spring trout fishing locations are closed this year. The Waddams Creek site at Lake Le-Aqua-Na State Recreational Area and Manners Park Pond in Taylorville will be temporarily removed from stocking for site maintenance purposes.
For more information on trout seasons and other Illinois fishing opportunities, check the website at www.ifishillinois.org. Illinois 2020 fishing licenses and Inland Trout Stamps are available now at DNR Direct license and permit locations, including many bait shops, sporting goods stores and other retail outlets.
For a list of locations, check the IDNR website at this link: http://dnr.illinois.gov/DNRDirectMonitor/VendorListing.aspx
Fishing licenses and trout stamps also can 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 information about all site regulations, anglers should contact individual sites that will be stocked with catchable-size trout. Not all sites open at 5:00 a.m. on opening day.
Anglers are reminded to check the opening time of their favorite sites prior to the open date.
A full list of the 2020 Illinois Spring Trout Locations can be found by Clicking here.