Contact: Miranda Fredrick 573-751-9392 miranda.fredrick@dnr.mo.gov
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Catch-and-keep trout fishing seasonbegins March 1
JEFFERSON CITY, MO, FEB. 28, 2020 – Missouri’s catch-and-keep trout fishing season officially begins at 6:30 a.m., Sunday, March 1 at Roaring River State Park near Cassville, Bennett Spring State Park near Lebanon and Montauk State Park near Salem.
Trout season opening day serves as the unofficial beginning of spring for many outdoorsmen. For trout enthusiasts, opening day means they have until the season closes on Oct. 31 to feed their passion as well as their appetite for fresh trout.
Trout tags can be purchased at the state park concession stores. In 2019, more than 5,100 adult and youth tags were sold at the three state parks on opening day, an increase of nearly 500 tags from 2018 figures.
The parks' campgrounds, lodging units and restaurants are all expected to be busy. In the communities closest to the state parks, Cassville, Lebanon and Salem, business owners are also preparing for the mass influx of fishermen who travel from near and far to fish for Missouri trout. Although trout fishing occurs in the parks, the surrounding communities reap economic benefits during the fishing season with busy hotels, restaurants, quick shops and other retail stores.
Online viewing of opening day activities at Bennett Spring State Park and Roaring River State Park will be available again this year from the park trout cams. Video streaming from the trout cams can be viewed on the Missouri State Parks trout season opening day webpage at www.mostateparks.com/TroutOpening2020. The trout cams are located near the most popular fishing spots and follow all the fishing action. It is great for fishermen who are unable to be there in person or for family members wanting to share in the excitement from home.
Opening day photos and trout tag sales information from all three state trout parks will also be available on the trout season opening day webpage. Anglers can share their photos from opening day through social media by tagging MoStateParks or using #MOTrout on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Trout season in Missouri is a cooperative effort of Missouri State Parks, managing the state parks, and the Missouri Department of Conservation, operating the hatcheries and stocking the streams with trout.
For more information on trout season opening, visit mostateparks.com or call Roaring River State Park at 417-847-2539, Bennett Spring State Park at 417-532-4338 or Montauk State Park at 573-548-2201.
For more information on state parks and historic sites, visit www.mostateparks.com. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.