Thousands of stocked trout will be available to Indiana anglers on opening day of inland stream trout fishing on Saturday, April 27.

In order to protect stocked trout, certain streams are closed to all fishing from April 15 until opening day. In addition, some sections of streams are designated as year-round “catch and release only,” and “artificial lures or flies only.”

The DNR will have stocked 23,425 rainbow trout in 17 streams covering 12 counties for the opener. The stocked trout come from Curtis Creek Trout Rearing Station near Howe in LaGrange County and average roughly 11 inches in length.

Anglers can catch trout on natural live bait such as worms and wax worms. Corn and small marshmallows, either plain white or colored, are also popular. Artificial lures such as spinners and flies entice trout as well.

The bag limit for trout in inland waters, other than Lake Michigan and its tributaries, is five fish per day with a minimum size of 7 inches. No more than one of these can be a brown trout.

Anglers age 18 and older need an Indiana fishing license and a trout/salmon stamp to fish for trout.

The inland stream trout season officially starts at 6 a.m. local time on April 27.

Please see the fishing guide for more details at fishing.IN.gov/2347.htm.

To find a stocked stream near you, see the 2019 Trout Stocking Plan at fishing.IN.gov/5457.htm.

To view all DNR news releases, please see dnr.IN.gov.

Media contact: Larry Koza, district fisheries biologist, DNR Fish & Wildlife, 260-829-6241, lkoza@dnr.IN.gov