Fall trout fishing season set to open in Illinois

The 2020 Illinois fall trout fishing season is scheduled to open Saturday, Oct. 17, at more than 50 ponds, lakes and streams throughout the state.

The Illinois catchable trout program is funded by those who use the program through the sale of inland trout stamps and the Illinois Fish Management Fund.

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources, IDNR, noted that  all anglers must have a valid fishing license and an inland trout stamp, unless they are under the age of 16, blind or disabled, or are an Illinois resident on leave from active duty in the armed forces. 

The daily catch limit for each angler is five trout.

Illinois fishing licenses and inland trout stamps are available at DNR Direct license and permit locations, including many bait shops, sporting goods stores and other retail outlets. 

Outlets can be found on the IDNR website at https://www2.illinois.gov/dnr/LPR/Pages/LicensePermitVendors.aspx.

Fishing licenses and trout stamps also can be purchased by using a credit card through DNR Direct on the IDNR website at https://www2.illinois.gov/dnr.

Not all of the fall trout sites open at 5 a.m. on opening day. 

IDNR said anglers are reminded to check the opening time of their favorite trout fishing location prior to the season. 

For more information about all site regulations, anglers are advised to contact individual sites that will be stocked with catchable-size trout.

IDNR said that participants in the fall trout fishing season are reminded to follow current public health directives, including maintaining social distancing guidelines, bringing with them masks in case social distancing cannot be maintained and hand sanitizer containing at least 60 percent alcohol.

Among the fall trout fishing locations in the South Region of Illinois are the following:  

Johnson County: Ferne Clyffe State Park Lake.

Massac County: Fairgrounds Pond, Fort Massac State Park, Metropolis. 

Randolph County: Derby Lake, World Shooting and Recreational Complex, Sparta. 

Randolph County: Randolph County Lake. 

Saline County: Jones State Lake Pond. 

Williamson County:  Devils Kitchen Lake.