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KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has stocked 1,440 rainbow trout in Kirksville’s Spur Pond. An additional number of “lunkers” were added to the pond to add to the allure of the fishing experience.
Stocking trout in urban-area impoundments increases access to public fishing opportunities through the winter.
Anglers may begin fishing for trout in Spur Pond immediately, though regulations allow for catch-and-release only through Jan. 31. Beginning Feb. 1, anglers with a trout permit may keep as many as four trout, of any length, per day. All anglers between the ages of 16 and 64 must have a valid Missouri fishing permit and any angler harvesting trout must also possess a Missouri trout permit.
Rainbow trout thrive in cold water and do well in local impoundments during the colder months.
“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 where you normally won’t find trout.”
For more information about trout stocking in northeast Missouri, contact MDC’s Northeast Regional Office in Kirksville at (660) 785-2420. For more information about fishing in Missouri, visit mdc.mo.gov/fish.
Buy hunting and fishing permits from vendors around the state, online at mdc.mo.gov/buypermits, or through MDC’s free mobile apps -- Mo Hunting and Mo Fishing -- available for download through Google Play for Android devices or the App Store for Apple devices. NEW: SAVE TIME by buying permits for yourself, family, and friends in a single transaction. Select the “Additional Customer” option during your permit purchase.
