MDC expects more than 10,000 anglers and will stock more than 33,000 trout on
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 tomdc.mo.gov/node/16930.
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