City employees and employees with the Missouri Department of Conservation watch as the Sikeston Recreation Complex Pond is stocked with rainbow trout Tuesday morning.
David Jenkins/Standard Democrat
SIKESTON For the first time ever, the pond at the Sikeston Recreation Complex is stocked with trout. However, anglers will have to wait until February to keep the trout they catch.
On Tuesday morning, the Missouri Department of Conservation began the stocking of nearly 9,000 rainbow trout in four southeast Missouri waters Perryvilles Legion Lake, Jacksons Rotary Lake, Farmingtons Giessing Lake and the Sikeston Recreation Complex Pond.
The cities of Jackson, Farmington, and Perryville, including Perry County, the Perry County Sportsmans Club, Sikeston, and MDC, purchased the trout to be supplied. MDC pays 50% of the cost to stock the trout, with each city handling the other half.
Sikeston is able to take part in the MDCs annual winter trout program after entering into an agreement with them two years ago with the Community Assistance Program (CAP).
We entered the partnership with Missouri Department of Conservation two years ago and this was part of the agreement that we would be able to stock our lake with trout, said Dustin Care, Sikeston Parks and Recreation director. Weve been getting a lot of questions over the past year or so and kept telling everybody theyre coming. Todays the day.
MDC Fisheries Management Biologist Salvador Mondragon said roughly 2,240 rainbow trout were stocked at Sikeston Recreation Complex Pond. About 3,760 rainbow trout were stocked at Legion Lake prior to the opener; 1,920 trout will be stocked in Rotary Lake; 1,240 in Giessing Lake.
The rainbow trout that were stocked average 12 inches and 1 to 1.5 pounds. However, Scott County Conservation Agent Andrew Mothershead said a few lunkers were put into pond as well.
Lunkers are from 6 to 12 pounds and are basically older broodstock. There are two to four lunkers put in each pond.
Somebody has a chance to land a pretty big trout, Mothershead said.
The annual winter trout fishing program began Tuesday, marking the opening of Missouris winter trout season. Anglers can cast a line for the popular cold-water fish through the fall and winter months on a catch-and-release basis.
Mothershead said all trout must be immediately released and unharmed from Nov. 1 through Jan. 31. During this time, anglers may only use flies, artificial lures, and unscented plastic baits. Only one fishing rod may be used at a time, and chum is not permitted.
Beginning Feb. 1, any bait may be used, and four trout may be kept regardless of size.
Flies imitating aquatic insects are popular with fly fishers, Mondragon said, but spinners, small spoons, and other small lures are also good choices.
Care said there are regulations for trout fishing placed all around the Complex pond.
All anglers between the ages of 16 and 64 must retain a valid Missouri fishing permit and any angler harvesting trout must also possess a trout permit.
During catch and release you dont need a trout permit but come Feb. 1 if your intention is to keep a trout you will need an additional trout permit, Mothershead said, adding that the money made from the trout permit goes to raising the trout.
Trout are not native to Missouri. They have been introduced to the cold, spring-fed, streams of southern Missouri. In winter, when the water is cold enough, selected lakes and ponds in urban areas are stocked to provide close-to-home trout fishing opportunities.
We thought this was a great opportunity to introduce trout fishing to this part of the world, Mothershead said. We brought the idea to Parks and Recreation and they loved it.
Trout fishing has been extremely popular in Perryville, Jackson and Farmington and the same is expected in Sikeston.
Those places will have dozens if not hundreds of people fishing for trout on opening day, Mothershead said.
Care said hes expecting a big response as well.
We expect a lot of people to be out here in the catch-and-release and then once the season opens up, Care said. We think this will go over well and now that its starting this year its going to be a continuous thing every year as we are able to keep trout stocked every winter.
More information about fishing can be found online at https://mdc.mo.gov/fishing, or by contacting the Missouri Department of Conservations Southeast Regional Office in Cape Girardeau at (573) 290-5730.
As the Scott County Conservation officer, if anyone sees anyone keeping trout out of season contact me, said Mothershead, who can be contacted at 573-380-2578. We want to make sure this program is successful.
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