Illinois Spring Trout Fishing Season Opens April 7

Spring Catch-and-Release Fly Fishing Season Opens March 24 at select sites

SPRINGFIELD, IL – The 2018 Illinois Spring Trout fishing season is just a few weeks away. Anglers will need both a fishing license and an Inland Trout Stamp to participate, unless they are under the age of 16, blind, disabled, or are an Illinois resident on leave from active duty in the Armed Forces.

Licenses and trout stamps will be available for purchase on the Illinois Department of Resources (IDNR) website and at DNR Direct license and permit locations, including many bait shops, sporting goods stores and other retail outlets, starting Thursday, March 1.

The Spring Catch-and-Release Fly Fishing season opens at nine sites on March 24.  Anglers can use fly fishing gear to catch trout at that time, but they cannot keep the fish. All trout must be released until after the opening of the regular spring trout season, which begins at 5 a.m. on April 7. Anyone attempting to take trout before the legal harvest season opening will be issued citations.

The IDNR stocks more than 80,000 rainbow trout each year, with 54 ponds, lakes and streams throughout the state being stocked for the spring season, and an additional 80,000 trout stocked for the fall season.

For more information on trout seasons and other Illinois fishing opportunities, check the website at www.ifishillinois.org.

For more information about all site regulations, anglers should contact individual sites that will be stocked with catchable-size trout. Not all sites open at 5 a.m. on opening day. Anglers are reminded to check the opening time of their favorite sites prior to the opening date.

For those sites in the southern end of the state.

South — Jefferson County — Mount Vernon Game Farm Pond
South — Johnson County — Ferne Clyffe State Park Lake
South — Marion County — Boston Pond, Stephen A. Forbes State Recreation Area
South — Massac County — Fairgrounds Pond, Fort Massac State Park
South — Randolph County — Derby Lake, Sparta (World Shooting and Recreational Complex)
South — St. Clair County — Frank Holten State Park Main Lake
South — St. Clair County — Jones Park Lake, East St. Louis
South — St. Claire County — Willow Lake at 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 State Fish and Wildlife Area