It’s time to go trout fishing again in Nebraska. Rainbow trout are being stocked in city ponds and lakes across the state in March to enhance fishing opportunities this spring, especially in urban areas.
Additionally, the Two Rivers State Recreation Area Trout Lake in Douglas County will open March 12. By then, more than 12,000 rainbow and tiger trout will have been stocked in the lake.
All trout caught in the Trout Lake must be harvested and not released. Anglers first must purchase from the park office a daily trout tag for $6. Each tag is good for a daily bag limit of four trout. A person may have up to three tags per day and 12 trout in possession. An adult angler may have two children under the age of 16 fishing under the authority of his/her tag, but the group bag limit still is limited to four trout per tag.
The Trout Lake (Lake No. 5) will be open from 7 a.m. to sunset each day. Anglers, except residents younger than age 16, must have a Nebraska fishing license. All vehicles entering the park must have a park entry permit. Anglers possessing trout on any other lake at Two Rivers must have a trout tag, as well. Anglers will be allowed to use one fishing rod and reel each.
Trout fishing is a great way to introduce children to fishing because simple and inexpensive equipment may be used.
“Rainbow trout are especially good for new anglers because they will bite readily on anything, including corn, wadded up pieces of bread or worms, and are easy and safe to handle,” said Larry Pape, aquatic education specialist with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. “You can use a simple spin-cast combo or a spinning rod and have a fun day catching trout.”
For resources to help beginners or even experienced anglers, visit outdoornebraska.gov/howtofish.
The following is a schedule of tiger and rainbow trout stockings for this spring, including quantities. The dates can change because of weather or unforeseen circumstances:
Tiger trout:
Feb. 18 – Curtis Golf Course Pond, 300
Feb. 22 – Chadron State Park Pond, 500; Alliance Golf Course Pond, 400
Rainbow trout:
Feb. 25 – East Branch of Verdigre Creek, Royal, 200
March 14 – Fremont Lakes SRA No. 2, 900; Fremont Lakes SRA No. 2, 4,100
March 15 – Bridgeport SRA Middle Lake, 2,000; Bridgeport SRA Northwest Lake, 1,400; Humboldt City Park Lake, 350; Pawnee City Pond, 300; Rotary Club Lake, Auburn, 800; Stanton Lake, Falls City, 200; Lake Halleck, Papillion, 1,200; Weeping Water Pond, 1,500; CenturyLink Lake, Eugene T. Mahoney SP, 2,500
March 16 – Fort Kearny SRA No. 6, Kearney, 1,200; Windmill SRA No. 2, Gibbon, 600; Holdrege City Lake, 1,000; Steinhart Park East Pond, Nebraska City, 800; Louisville SRA 1A, 600; Heartwell Park Lake, Hastings, 450; Such’s Lake, Grand Island, 650
March 17 – Ponca SP Pond, 750; Niobrara SP Pond, 600; Auble Pond, Ord, 750
March 18 – Ponca State Park, 750; Geneva Pond, 300
March 19 – Ta-Ha-Zouka Park Lake, Norfolk, 1,500 (9 a.m. Central time); Pawnee Park West Lake, Columbus, 1,500 (10 a.m.); Neligh Park Pond, West Point, 900 (11 a.m.); Holmes Lake, Lincoln, 4,000 (12:30 p.m.)
March 21 – Terry’s Pit, Terrytown, 1,500; Riverside Park Pond, Scottsbluff, 900; Rock Creek Lake, Parks, 500; David City Park Pond West, 600
March 22 – Two Rivers SRA No. 5 (Trout Lake), 3,500; Bridgeport SRA Middle Lake, 2,000; Bridgeport SRA Northwest Lake, 1,400
March 28 – North Morrill Pond, 2,250; Middle Morrill Pond, 450
March 29 – Oxford City Lake, 150; Lake Helen, Gothenburg, 2,000; Plum Creek Park Lake, Lexington, 750
Other stockings of rainbow trout in March as time and weather allow – East Branch of Verdigre Creek, 600; Elm Creek, Elm Creek Wildlife Management Area, 1,000; Two Rivers SRA Lake No. 5 (Trout Lake), 10,500; Grove Lake WMA sandpit, Royal, 75; Gracie Creek Pond, 500
The following are a list of stockings of rainbow trout in April as time and weather allow –
East Branch of Verdigre Creek, 1,000; Two Rivers SRA Lake No. 5 (Trout Lake), 10,500; Keller Park SRA No. 4, 250; Keller Park SRA No. 5, 400; Sand Springs, Plum Creek Valley WMA, 400; Lake Ogallala, 12,000; Lake Carter P. Johnson, Fort Robinson SP, 2,500; Gilbert-Baker WMA Pond, 600; Birdwood WMA, North Platte, 1,000; Gracie Creek Pond, 1,000
Chadron City Reservoir North, 1,700; Chadron City Reservoir South, 1,700; Chadron SP Pond, 500; North Morrill Pond, 2,250; Middle Morrill Pond, 450; Riverside Park Pond, Scottsbluff, 900; Bridgeport SRA Northwest Lake, 1,400; Terry’s Pit, Terrytown, 1,500; South Grabel Pond 2, Fort Robinson SP, 1,200; Middle Grabel Pond, Fort Robinson SP, 600; Cherry Creek Diversion Pond, Fort Robinson SP, 250; Rock Creek Lake, Parks, 1,500
For information on fish stocking online, including upcoming trout stocking dates, visit outdoorNebraska.gov/fishstockingreports.
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