Illinois Fall Trout Season Begins Oct. 21 @ 5:00 a.m.; Trout to be Stocked at 35 Locations - Anglers Reminded Taking Trout Before Oct. 21st is Illegal

SPRINGFIELD, IL – The 2006 Illinois fall trout fishing season opens on Saturday, Oct. 21st at 35 ponds and lakes throughout the state, Illinois Department of Natural Resources Acting Director Sam Flood announced today.

“Fishing is a great family activity and the fall trout season is a great opportunity to take the kids fishing,” Flood said. “Our catchable trout program is very popular at all of the stocking locations.”

More than 70,000 trout are stocked by IDNR at the locations listed below just prior to the opening of the fall trout season. Anglers are reminded that no trout may be taken from any of the stocked sites from Oct. 1 until the fall trout season opens on Oct. 21 at 5 a.m.

To take trout legally beginning Oct. 21, anglers must have a fishing license and an inland trout stamp, unless they are under 16 years of age, 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.

While regulations allow trout season to open at 5 a.m. on Oct. 21, anglers should check in advance for the opening time of their favorite trout fishing location as some of them will not be open that early in the day on opening day.

For more information on fall trout season and other Illinois fishing opportunities, contact the IDNR Division of Fisheries at 217/782-6424, or check the website 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. Fishing licenses and trout stamps can also be purchased by using a credit card at DNR Direct online via the IDNR website at https://www1.wildlifelicense.com/il/#OnlineLic or by calling DNR Direct toll-free at 1-888-6PERMIT (1-888-673-7648).

Anglers are advised that trout fishing will not be available this fall at the Greenville Old City Lake (Patriot’s Park Lake) located in Bond County as the park and lake access will be closed due to a park improvement project which will stabilize the lake’s banks.

Anglers should also note that fall trout fishing will return to Prospect Park Pond in Moline after being held the past two years at Riverside Park Lagoon.

For more information about site regulations, anglers should contact individual sites that will be stocked with catchable-size trout. The 35 locations are:

Adams County: Siloam Springs State Park , 217/894-6205
Bureau County: Hennepin Canal Parkway State Park, 815/454-2328
Christian County: Manners Park Pond in Taylorville, 217/824-3110
Coles County: Campus Pond at Eastern Illinois University, 217/345-2420
Cook County: Axehead Lake - Cook County Forest Preserve District, 847/294-4134
Cook County: Belleau Lake - Cook County Forest Preserve District, 847/294-4134
Crawford County: Crawford County Conservation Area Pond, 618/563-4405
Douglas County: Villa Grove West Lake, 217/443-0529
Jefferson County: Mount Vernon Game Farm Pond, 618/547-3610
Johnson County: Ferne Clyffe State Park, 618/995-2411
Kankakee County: Bird Park Quarry in Kankakee, 815/939-1311
Kendall County: Big Lake at Silver Springs State Park, 630/553-6297
Lake County: Banana Lake - Lake County Forest Preserve, 815/675-2319
Lake County: Sand Lake at Illinois Beach State Park, 847/662-4828
Macon County: Rock Springs Pond - Macon County Conservation District, 217/423-7708
Macoupin County: Beaver Dam Lake, 217/854-8020
Madison County: Highland Old City Lake, 618/651-1386931-8901
Marion County: Boston Pond at Stephen A. Forbes Park, 618/547-3381
Massac County: Fairgrounds Pond at Fort Massac State Park in Metropolis, 618/524-4712
McDonough County: Argyle Lake at Argyle Lake State Park, 309/776-3422
Randolph County: Randolph County State Fish and Wildlife Area Lake, 618/826-2706
Rock Island County: Prospect Park Pond in Moline, 815/454-2759
St. Clair County: Frank Holten State Park Lake, 618/874-7920
St. Clair County: Jones Park Lake in East St. Louis, 618/847-7920
St. Clair County: Willow Lake at Peabody River King State Fish and Wildlife Area, 618/785-2555
Saline County: Jones Lake Trout Pond at Saline County State Fish and Wildlife Area, 618/276-4405
Sangamon County: IDOT Lake in Springfield, 217/632-3841
Sangamon County: Washington Park Pond in Springfield, 217/632-3841
Shelby County: Forest Park Lagoon in Shelbyville, 217/345-2420
Tazewell County: Mineral Springs Park Lagoon in Pekin, 309/347-5119
Vermilion County: Clear Lake at Kickapoo State Park, 217/442-4915
Wabash County: Beall Woods Lake at Beall Woods State Park, 618/298-2442
Warren County: Citizen's Lake in Monmouth, 309/344-2617
Wayne County: Sam Dale Trout Pond at Sam Dale Lake Conservation Area, 618/835-2292
Whiteside County: Coleta Trout Pond just west of Coleta, 815/454-2759