Catch, keep Missouri trout starting March 1

The annual catch-and-keep trout fishing season opens Monday in Missouri at the state’s four trout parks: Roaring River State Park near Cassville, Bennett Spring State Park near Lebanon, Montauk State Park near Licking and Maramec Spring Park near St. James.

The catch-and-keep season at the trout parks runs through Oct. 31.

The Missouri Department of Conservation operates trout hatcheries at all four parks and stocks rainbow trout daily throughout the season.

Bruce Drecktrah, department fisheries chief said the hatchery staff will again use data on trout tags sold in past years to anticipate the number of anglers expected on opening day. Staff will then stock about 20,000 trout across the four trout parks for anglers on opening day.

Trout anglers need a Missouri fishing permit and a daily trout tag to fish in Missouri’s trout parks.

The department encourages trout anglers to buy their fishing permits ahead of time from numerous vendors around the state, online at mdc.mo.gov/buypermits, or through the department’s free mobile app, MO fishing, available for download through Google Play for Android devices or the App Store for Apple devices.

Daily trout tags can only be purchased at the trout parks. The department encourages trout anglers to have the correct amount of cash for daily tags if possible.

The cost of a daily trout tag to fish at three of Missouri’s four trout parks — Roaring River State Park, Bennett Spring State Park, Montauk State Park is $4 for adults and $3 for those 15 years of age and younger. The daily limit is four trout.