|
MDC expects more than 10,000 anglers and will
stock more than 33,000 trout on opening day.
JEFFERSON CITY,
Mo. – Sunday, March 1,
marks the opening of catch-and-keep trout fishing at the Show-Me State’s four
trout parks: Bennett Spring State Park near Lebanon, Montauk State Park near
Licking, Roaring River State Park near Cassville, and Maramec Spring Park near
St. James. Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) permit records show that weekend
trout park openers can draw crowds of more than 10,000 anglers.
MDC operates trout
hatcheries at all four parks. To help predict angler turnout on opening day,
hatchery staff rely on permit records going back more than 70 years. Montauk, Bennett
Spring, and Roaring River hatchery staff expect crowds of about 3,000 anglers
at each location and Maramec Spring staff are planning for a crowd of about
2,000. Based on these predictions, hatchery staff will stock three trout per
expected angler on opening day for a total of more than 33,000 fish averaging
around a foot in length. The hatcheries will also stock several hundred “lunkers”
ranging from three to 10 pounds.
Three of the trout
parks – Bennett Spring, Montauk, and Roaring River– are owned by the Missouri
Department of Natural Resources. Maramec Spring Park is owned by the James
Foundation. Call the following numbers for more information about trout-park
fishing.
- Bennett Spring -
417-532-4418
- Maramec -
573-265-7801
- Montauk -
573-548-2585
- Roaring River -
417-847-2430
Anglers
need a daily trout tag to fish in Missouri’s trout parks. Daily trout tags can
only be purchased at each of the four trout parks. Missouri residents 16 through
64 need a fishing permit in addition to the daily tag. Nonresidents 16 and
older also need a fishing permit.
Trout hatcheries
are just one way that conservation pays in Missouri. MDC stocks more than
800,000 trout annually at the state’s four trout parks and approximately 1.5
million annually statewide. Trout anglers’ spend more than $100 million each
year in the Show-Me-State, which generates more than $180 million in business
activity, supports more than 2,300 jobs and creates more than $70 million
dollars in wages. About 30 percent of Missouri trout anglers come from other
states, so a substantial portion of trout fishing expenditures is “new money”
for the state’s economy.
For more information on trout fishing in Missouri, visit mdc.mo.gov/node/5596.
REMINDER TO TROUT
ANGLERS: To prevent the spread of the invasive alga called didymo or “rock
snot”, the use of shoes, boots or waders with porous soles of felt, matted or
woven fibrous material is prohibited at all trout parks, trout streams, Lake
Taneycomo, and buffer areas. Go online for more information to mdc.mo.gov/node/16930.
March 1 marks the
opening day of catch-and-keep season at Missouri trout parks, including Montauk
State Park pictured. MDC expects more than 10,000 anglers for opening day and
will stock more than 33,000 trout for it.
| 
