Urban Trout Stocking in Missouri

While I don't look forward to urban trout fishing as much as say the opening day of deer season or a trip to Roaring River, it is a welcome reprieve from the bass fishing that becomes nonexistent and a nice way to make winter pass while still being able to fish.  I am so glad that the state of Missouri does this and it has helped me keep my sanity during a few winters that seem to linger on longer than I would like.  For what it is worth, I have had the most luck catching these imported trout using a super duper on an ultra light outfit or on a jig under a float with a fly rod.  John Deere's work well in this case but don't be scared to throw out some crazy colors.  My best day of catching these trout came on a day where I threw a black jig with chartreuse head about 6 feet under a strike indicator on a 9 foot, 6 weight fly rod.  Good luck and I hope you get the chance to catch a few trout in some places that don't naturally produce them.

The following was taken from mdc.mo.gov and I believe it was also part of a press release.

MDC stocks urban lakes for winter trout fishing

More than 70,000 cold-water-loving fish in 31 urban-area lakes around the state are available.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is stocking more than 70,000 rainbow trout in 31 urban-area lakes around the state for winter trout fishing beginning Nov. 1.

In addition to catch-and-release fishing through Jan. 31, many of these areas allow anglers to harvest trout as soon as they are stocked. Others allow catch-and-keep fishing as early as Feb. 1.

The daily limit for catch-and-keep at these locations is four trout with no length limit. All Missouri residents over age 15 and under 65 must have a valid fishing permit, and all non-residents over age 15 must have a fishing permit. To keep trout, all anglers of all ages must have a Missouri trout permit.

"Trout are typically found in the cold, spring-fed, streams of southern Missouri," MDC Fisheries Programs Specialist Andrew Branson said. "Stocking selected lakes and ponds around the state during the winter months provides close-to-home trout fishing opportunities in parts of Missouri that you normally won't find trout."

For a list of urban-area lakes stocked for winter trout fishing, visit http://on.mo.gov/1k87SOk. Conservation makes Missouri a great place to fish. For more information trout fishing in Missouri visit mdc.mo.gov.

MDC is stocking more than 70,000 rainbow trout in 31 urban-area lakes around the state for winter trout fishing beginning Nov. 1. (NOTE: High-res image is available herehttp://mdc.mo.gov/node/31721).