Trout Season Offers Hot Fishing During Colder Months

PRATT – Kansas fishing fun doesn’t have to end when winter begins. A unique angling opportunity is about to kick off in select waters throughout the state, and with the right permit and some layered clothing, you just might find you have one more reason to fire up the grill – trout.

Trout are stocked in more than 30 locations around the state during the season, which runs Nov. 1, 2015 - April 15, 2016. Anglers can try their luck at trout fishing in Type 1 waters, which require all anglers to possess a $12.50 trout permit, and in Type 2 waters, which require only those fishing for or possessing trout to purchase the permit. The permit is valid for the calendar year and can be purchased wherever licenses are sold and online atksoutdoors.com.

Trout fishing opportunities are available at the following locations:

TYPE 1 LAKES: TROUT PERMITS REQUIRED OF ALL ANGLERS

Cedar Bluff Stilling Basin

Dodge City Lake Charles

Ft. Scott Gun Park Lake

Glen Elder State Park (SP) Pond

Kanopolis Seep Stream

KDOT East Lake in Wichita

Lake Henry in Clinton SP

Mined Land WA Unit #30

Pratt Centennial Pond

Walnut River Area in El Dorado SP

Willow Lake at Tuttle Creek SP

Webster Stilling Basin

Sandsage Bison Range and WA Sandpits (Periodically Dry)

Vic’s Lake and Slough Creek in Sedgwick County Park

Topeka Auburndale Park

Garnett Crystal Lake

TYPE 2 LAKES: TROUT PERMITS REQUIRED ONLY FOR TROUT ANGLERS

Sherman County Smoky Gardens Lake

Solomon River between Webster Reservoir and Rooks County #2 Road

Ft. Riley Cameron Springs

Lake Shawnee - Topeka

Salina Lakewood Lake

Moon Lake on Fort Riley

Scott State Fishing Lake

Scott State Park Pond

Hutchinson Dillon Nature Center Pond

Atchison City Lake # 1

Belleville City Lake (Rocky Pond)

Holton-Elkhorn Lake

Syracuse Sam's Pond

Cimarron Grasslands Pits

Colby Villa High Lake

Great Bend Stone Lake

Herington - Father Padilla Pond

TROUT Permit required year-round

Cherokee County – Mined Land Wildlife Area No. 30

*Because trout survive through the summer here, a trout permit is required year-round for anglers utilizing the lake.

Residents 16-74 years old, and all nonresidents 16 and older must also have a valid fishing license. The daily creel limit is five trout unless otherwise posted. Anglers 15 and younger may fish without a trout permit, but are limited to two trout per day, or they may purchase a permit and take five trout per day. Possession limit for trout is 15. 

For information on trout stocking schedules, visit ksoutdoors.com and click “Fishing / Special Fishing Programs for You / Trout Stocking Schedule.”

TROUT STOCKING PROGRAM PROVIDES VARIETY FOR ANGLERS

Anglers are encouraged to take advantage of special trout program

 In an effort to provide unique winter fishing opportunities, The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) provides trout fishing opportunities by stocking Kansas waters with thousands of harvestable-sized trout each year. From Nov. 1-April 15, anglers can catch this non-native species at 36 locations throughout the state.

Funded by state trout permit and federal aid dollars, the KDWPT trout program stocks as many as 180,000 rainbow trout and more than 3,500 brown trout annually.

Type 1 trout waters require a trout permit ($12.50) whether anglers are fishing for trout or not, while Type 2 waters require a trout permit for anglers fishing for trout. In addition to a trout permit (where required), residents 16-74, and non-residents 16 and older, must possess a valid fishing license.

The daily creel limit is five trout and the possession limit is 15. Youth 15 and under may keep up to two trout per day without a trout permit, or up to five trout per day with a permit. After April 15, anglers can trout fish without a permit anywhere in the state, excluding Mined Land Wildlife Area Unit #30 (Cherokee County) which requires a permit year-round. Season daily creel and possession limits will still apply after the season is closed.

Consult the 2013 Fishing Regulations Summary for a list of Type 1 and Type 2 trout waters.

Local governments may have their own trout stocking programs and may require a separate permit. Anglers are encouraged to contact their local city and county recreation departments for details.

For more information on the KDWPT trout program, including stocking locations and schedules, visitwww.ksoutdoors.com and click “Fishing/Special Fishing Programs for You/Trout Fishing Program.”

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KANOPOLIS SEEP STREAM OPEN FOR FISHING

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Trout stocking delayed until early November
PRATT — On Oct. 12, the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism announced the Oct. 15 opening of trout season with a news release outlining the rules, regulations, and areas that will be stocked with trout, including those waters where stocking will be delayed.

However, there was information indicating that the Kanopolis Seep Stream was closed to all fishing due to water-quality problems. This was in error. The Kanopolis Seep Stream is open to fishing although it won’t be stocked with trout until early November.

Anyone planning to fish Kanopolis Seep Stream for species other than trout before trout are stocked are free to do so with the proper licenses and permits. Kanopolis Seep Stream is a Type 1 water, so a trout permit is required of anglers 16 and older whether fishing for trout or not.

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TROUT SEASON OPENS OCT. 15

Image via Wikipedia

Some stockings delayed because of warm temperatures
PRATT — From Oct. 15 through April 15, the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) stocks rainbow trout in select waters across the state. During this time, some waters stocked with trout require a $12.50 trout permit for all anglers 16 or older, whether they are fishing for trout or not (Type 1 Waters). Other waters require a trout permit only for anglers fishing for or possessing trout (Type 2 Waters).

Type 1 trout waters are Cedar Bluff Stilling Basin, Dodge City Lake Charles, Ft. Scott Gun Park Lake, Garnett Crystal Lake, Glen Elder State Park (SP) Pond, Kanopolis Seep Stream, KDOT East Lake in Wichita, Lake Henry in Clinton SP, Mined Land WA Unit No. 30, Pratt Centennial Pond, Sandsage Bison Range and WA Sandpits, Vic’s Lake and Slough Creek in Sedgwick County Park, Topeka Auburndale Park, Walnut River Area in El Dorado SP, Willow Lake at Tuttle Creek SP, and Webster Stilling Basin.

Type 2 trout waters are Atchison City Lake No. 1, Belleville City Lake (Rocky Pond), Cimarron Grasslands Pits, Ft. Riley Cameron Springs, Ft. Riley Moon Lake, Great Bend Veterans Memorial Park Lake, Holton-Elkhorn Lake, Hutchinson Dillon Nature Center Pond, Lake Shawnee, Salina Lakewood Lake, Scott State Fishing Lake, Scott State Park Pond, Sherman County Smoky Gardens Lake, and Solomon River between Webster Reservoir and Rooks County No. 2 Road, and Syracuse-Sam’s Pond.

Trout fishing at Mined Land Wildlife Area Unit No. 30 requires a trout permit year-round. Trout permits are valid for the calendar year, so permits purchased last January or later are valid through Dec. 31. All residents 16-64 years old and all nonresidents 16 and older must also have a valid fishing license.

The daily creel limit is five trout unless otherwise posted (two trout for anglers 15 and younger who do not have a trout permit). The possession limit is three times the daily creel.

While most designated trout waters in the state will be stocked with trout in time for opening day, the following waters will be delayed (see following text for details):

• Cedar Bluff Reservoir Stilling Basin;
• Cimarron Grasslands Fishing Pits;
• Lake Charles in Dodge City;
• Glen Elder Park Pond — second week in November;
• Great Bend Veteran’s Park;
• Kanopolis Reservoir Seep Stream;
• Pratt Centennial Pond;
• Rocky Pond in Belleville — second week in November;
• Scott State Fishing Lake; and
• Sedgwick County Park Slough Creek — low water.

Other areas may have to delay stocking, as well. Before a trout fishing expedition, anglers are encouraged to check for updated information on stocking of trout waters by visiting the KDWPT website, www.kdwpt.state.ks.us. Type "trout stocking schedule" in the search box.

As of Oct. 10, the Cedar Bluff Stilling Basin had yet to experience fall turnover, which occurs as surface water cools. When this happens, dissolved oxygen levels in the water can drop, and it takes time for the system to recover and provide conditions safe for trout. Rather than risk a fish kill for newly stocked trout, biologists have decided to delay the stocking. Conditions will be monitored, and if the basin is ready, trout will be stocked in late October.

Trout stocking at Cimarron Grasslands Fishing Pits, Dodge City-Lake Charles, Great Bend Veteran’s Park, Pratt Centennial Pond, and Scott State Fishing Lake will be delayed, but the recent cool weather should allow stocking early during the week of October 17.

The Kanopolis Reservoir Seep Stream is currently laden with duckweed and filamentous algae, creating water-quality problems. The seep stream is closed to all fishing, with plans to stock trout in early November, provided conditions have improved.

Smoky Gardens and the Sand Sage Bison Range Pond are currently dry. Both will need precipitation before trout can be stocked.

The Solomon River above Webster Reservoir is not stocked in the fall, nor is it stocked each year. Stocking is dependent upon flows. In years when flows are adequate, stocking generally occurs in January, February, and March.

The Glen Elder Park Pond is not stocked in October. The first stocking of the season is scheduled for mid-November each year in order to allow time for the water to cool.

Trout permits are available at the KDWPT website, at KDWPT offices, and license vendors.

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