Fall trout season to open

The 2022 Illinois fall trout fishing season is scheduled to open Saturday, Oct. 15, at 59 ponds, lakes and streams throughout the state.

Fishing sites in the Southern Illinois area include: 

The Mount Vernon Game Farm Pond, Ferne Clyffe State Park Lake in Johnson County, Fairgounds Pond at Fort Massac State Park in Metropolis.

Derby Lake at the World Shooting and Recreational Complex in Sparta, the Randolph County State Fish and Wildlife Area Lake, the Jones Lake Trout Pond at the Saline County State Fish and Wildlife Area.

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources, IDNR, reports that for the 2022 fall trout season, no trout may be taken from any of the stocked sites until the season opens at 5 a.m. Oct. 15. During the season, the daily catch limit is five trout. 

All anglers must have an Illinois fishing license and inland trout stamp, which are available at IDNR license and permit locations, including many bait shops, sporting goods stores and other retail outlets. 

Locations can be found on the IDNR website at https://www.exploremoreil.com/agentlocator.

Fishing licenses and trout stamps also can be purchased with a credit card online at https://www.exploremoreil.com/.

IDNR advised that for information about site regulations, anglers should contact individual sites that will be stocked with catchable-size trout. 

Not all sites open at 5 a.m. on opening day. Anglers should confirm the opening time of their favorite sites prior to the open date.