Rep. Steve Reick (R-Woodstock) | Provided
Rep. Steve Reick (R-Woodstock) | Provided
For state Rep. Steven Reick (R-Woodstock), the countdown to trout season is on.
“The 2021 Illinois Fall Trout Fishing Season will open on Saturday, Oct. 16 at 59 ponds, lakes and streams throughout the state,” Reick recently posted on Facebook.
Two weeks prior on Oct. 2, the Fall Catch-and-Release Fishing Season is set to commence. No trout is allowed to be kept during the catch-and-release window, but anglers can keep trout after the formal start of the regular season.
On an annual basis, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) stocks upwards of 80,000 rainbow trout each year in waters where trout fishing is allowed during the fall season. In April, an additional 80,000 trout are stocked for the spring season. The Illinois Catchable Trout Program is funded by revenues tied to the Inland Trout Stamps.
While the daily catch limit during the season is five trout, no trout can be taken from any of the stocked sites before 5 a.m.
All anglers, those intending to release trout before the official start of the season included, must have an Illinois fishing license and Inland Trout Stamp, both of which can be obtained at IDNR license and permit locations.
Fishing licenses and trout stamps can also be purchased via the IDNR website at https://www.exploremoreil.com/ by using a credit card.
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