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Ohio
Department of Natural Resources
Statewide
Rainbow Trout Releases to Begin
COLUMBUS,
OH – More than 98,000 rainbow trout will be released
this spring at 63 Ohio public lakes and ponds. The first release will
be on
Friday, March 1, at Adams Lake in Adams County, according to the Ohio
Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).
Rainbow
trout releases will take place between March 1 and May 3,
and the stocking of these public lakes and ponds are excellent
opportunities
for families to fish together. Fishing for catchable-sized trout is a
great way
to introduce young people to the outdoors. Rainbow trout are raised at
state
fish hatcheries and are 10-13 inches before they are released by the
ODNR
Division of Wildlife. The daily catch limit for inland lakes is five
trout.
Some
locations will feature special angler events, including
youth-only fishing, on the day of the scheduled trout release. Contact
the
nearest wildlife district office for specific information. Additional
information about trout releases is available at wildohio.com or by
calling
800-WILDLIFE.
Anglers
age 16 and older must have an Ohio fishing license to fish
state public waters. The 2013-2014 fishing license is available now and
is
valid through Feb. 28, 2014. An annual resident fishing license costs
$19. A
one–day fishing license costs $11 for residents and non-residents. The
one-day
license may also be redeemed for credit toward the purchase of an
annual
fishing license.
Ohio
residents born on or before Dec. 31, 1937, may obtain a free
fishing license where licenses are sold. Persons age 66 and older who
were born
on or after Jan. 1, 1938, and have resided in Ohio for the past six
months are
eligible to purchase the reduced-cost resident senior license for $10.
Sales
of fishing licenses along with the Sport Fish Restoration
(SFR) program continue to fund the operation of the ODNR Division of
Wildlife’s
fish hatcheries. No state tax dollars are used for this activity. This
is a
user-pay, user-benefit program.
The
SFR is a partnership between federal and state government,
industry and anglers/boaters. When anglers purchase rods, reels,
fishing
tackle, fish finders and motor boat fuel, they pay an excise tax. The
federal
government collects these taxes, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
administers and disburses these funds to state fish and wildlife
agencies.
These funds are used to acquire habitat, produce and stock fish,
conduct
research and surveys, provide aquatic education to youth and acquire
and
develop boat accesses.
ODNR
ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our
natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR website at
ohiodnr.com.
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