Trout fishing for kids comes to St. Louis

Attention, all kid fishermen in the St. Louis area! The rainbow trout are coming; the rainbow trout are coming!

Usually, trout fishermen in St. Louis have to go long distances to fish for rainbow trout. And then there are only a few places in Missouri where trout flourish all year long.

That's because most Missouri lakes and streams get too warm for trout to survive during hot summer months.

But, the Missouri Department of Conservation brings the rainbow trout to St. Louis area fishermen once the winter weather drops lake water temperatures.

Since 1989, the MDC has stocked rainbow trout in selected St. Louis area lakes. That's a part of the Urban Fishing Program, which has a special emphasis on giving city kids their first chance at fishing.

In 2006, catchable trout will be stocked from November through February 2007, in 17 lakes in the City of St. Louis, St. Louis County and St. Charles County. Many of the lakes will be stocked twice a month.

For the 2006-2007 winter season, more than 36,000 rainbow trout will be stocked, according to Kevin Meneau. He is an urban fishing specialist at the Busch Conservation Area in St. Charles County.

The MDC doesn't announce in advance when the stocking will be done each month. That's to give everyone an even chance of catching the trout.

Rather, the MDC has established a Fish Stocking Hot Line at (636) 300-9651. Lakes stocked are listed only after the monthly stockings are completed.

Mr. Meneau said complete stocking of all 17 lakes takes as much as three days. Therefore, you need to keep checking to see when lakes in your area have been stocked.

One new lake-Koeneman Park Lake in the City of Jennings-has been added to the Winter Trout Program this year, Meneau said.

Other lakes to be stocked are:

There are special Winter Trout Program rules and regulations.

For one thing, kids under 16 can fish without a valid Missouri fishing permit.All others from 16 through 64 need a valid permit.

If you want to keep the trout you catch, you need a trout permit. But, for those who "catch and release," not trout permit is needed.

You can use only one fishing pole from Nov. 1 through Jan. 31, 2007. (From Feb. 1, you can use more than one pole. That's because the MDC wants fishermen to catch all the trout before the water gets too warm for the trout to survive.)

The MDC has designated some of the lakes as "catch and release-only" from Nov. 1 through next Jan. 31. They are Tilles Park Lake, Jefferson Lake in Forest Park, Koeneman Park Lake, Walker Lake, Wild Acres Park Lake and Busch Conservation Area Lakes 21 and 28.

For most lakes, the daily catch limit is 4 and the possession limit is 8. For a free Winter Trout Program brochure, call (636) 441-4554.

The St. Louis Winter trout program is just one of the programs to encourage fishing in urban areas. For instance, the MDC stocks other species of fish in 21 St. Louis City and County lakes from April through September. In the warmer months, the types of fish stocked include channel catfish and carp. The Busch and Weldon Spring Conservation Areas in St. Charles County have lakes stocked with catfish, bass, muskie and carp. There are even kids-only lakes. No fishing equipment; no problem. There's a free fishing equipment loan program for those without a fishing pole and reel. For information call either (636) 441-4554 or (314) 877-1309.