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St. LOUIS, Mo.—The winter months in the St. Louis area means trout season for local people wanting to fish. Each year, the Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) Winter Trout Program stocks rainbow trout in participating lakes from November until February. However significant flood damage to MDC fish hatcheries, which occurred during heavy rains earlier in the fall, has disrupted their normal operations.
“Due to unprecedented flooding at MDC’s Montauk and Maramec Spring hatcheries this year, all trout stockings will be placed on hold until the facilities can return to normal operations,” said St. Louis County Conservation Agent, Juvenal Escobar.
Luckily for St. Louis area trout chasers, all hope for a productive trout season has not been lost.
“MDC was able to stock lakes with trout at the beginning of the season, prior to the flood event,” Agent Escobar said. “These lakes are located in St. Louis City, St. Louis County, Union City Lake, and the five select lakes on the August. A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area in St. Charles.”
These lakes include:
Agent Escobar said that the best way for anglers to stay up to date with stocking information is by calling MDC’s Fish Stocking Hotline at 636-300-9651.
“This hotline covers the St. Louis area and is updated as soon as fish are stocked,” Escobar added. “It gives the newest information on what lakes have been stocked, what species, and the quantity of fish.”
Anglers should note that certain lakes are catch-and-release only for trout between Nov. 1 through Jan. 31, while others are catch-and-keep all year. For regulation information on specific lakes, go to https://short.mdc.mo.gov/Zd5, or consult the signs posted at the lakes themselves.
“Starting Feb. 1, all public lakes stocked with trout become catch-and-keep,” Agent Escobar said.
Regardless of age, all anglers wanting to keep trout must possess a trout permit. All anglers age 16 to 65 and claiming resident privileges must have a valid fishing permit, and all non-residents ages 16 and older must have a non-resident fishing permit.
“Even though trout stocking won’t be on the same schedule this season, it’s still worth the effort to cast your line,” said Agent Escobar. “With many lakes being catch and release, these fish aren’t going anywhere until February. So, you still have a chance of landing trout from an earlier stocking,”
