Spencer, Iowa — The Iowa Department of Natural Resources’ fall trout stocking got underway this past week, with a northwest Iowa pond scheduled for stocking early next month.
Northeast Iowa fisheries supervisor, Mike Steuck says they’ll stock 18 lakes and ponds across the state before they finish.
The stocking was started to allow everyone a chance to catch trout close to where they live so they don’t have to drive to northeast Iowa’s trout streams. Steuck says the fish that are stocked are easy to catch.
He says you don’t need any special gear to catch these trout — but you do need fishing license and a trout stamp. Steuck says the stocking has proved popular.
The drought has brought water levels down in some areas, but Steuck says they are more concerned about water temperatures when stocking the trout.
They used to use some brook trout that they brought in from outside, but he says they are now only stocking rainbow trout. He says they are trying to grow the native brook trout populations in South Pine Creek in Winnesheik County.
Steuck says that’s the approach they took with the native brown trout that are in northeast Iowa. Find more information about trout fishing regulations, check the DNR webpage at iowadnr.gov and click on the trout fishing tab.
Stocking began this past week at bodies of water in Dubuque, Cedar Falls, Fort Dodge, Marshalltown, North Liberty, Ottumwa, Muscatine, Mount Pleasant and Fort Madison, and will continue through November 23rd.
In our area, the lone body of water to be stocked is Scharnberg Pond, near Spencer. The trout stocking there is scheduled for Saturday, November 5th at 12:30 pm.
