November begins winter trout season in St. Louis area at MDC-stocked lakes

ST. LOUIS, Mo.-Many people look to springtime to start their fishing adventures. However, great angling opportunities for rainbow trout are just beginning right now in the St. Louis region. The month of November marks the annual start of the Missouri Department of Conservation's (MDC) winter trout season.

Winter trout fishing, part of MDC's St. Louis Urban Fishing Program, is good news for trout chasers. They need only drive minutes to pursue their passions, rather than hours to a Missouri trout park or distant Ozark stream.

During cold-weather months, MDC will stock nearly 40,000 rainbow trout from November until February in nine St. Louis City and County lakes, Union City Lake in Franklin County, as well as in five lakes in the August A. Busch Conservation Area on Route D in St. Charles.

Anglers should note that Gendron Lake in St. Ann, Jefferson Lake in Forest Park, and Wild Acres Park Lake in Overland will not be stocked with trout during the 2024-2025 Winter Trout Season. Each of these three lakes are currently undergoing renovation projects making them inaccessible to fishing.

MDC will continue to add several brood stock lunker trout-some as large as 10 lbs.-into the mix at its urban winter trout lakes, including the ones in August A. Busch Conservation Area.

Area lakes stocked with winter trout this winter include:

• Carondelet Park Boathouse Lake in St. Louis
• January-Wabash Lake in Ferguson
• Koeneman Park Lake in Jennings
• O'Fallon Park Lake in St. Louis
• Suson Park's Island Lake and Carp Lake
• Tilles Park Lake in St. Louis County
• Union City Lake in Union, Franklin County
• Walker Lake in Kirkwood
• Vlasis Park Lake in Ballwin
• August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area lakes 3, 7, 21, 22, and 23

Between Nov. 1 and Jan. 31, some lakes are catch-and-release only, and some are catch-and-keep. After Feb. 1, trout may be harvested from all lakes. Anglers can find information on specific winter trout lakes statewide at https://short.mdc.mo.gov/Zd5, or check regulations posted at the lakes. All trout anglers between age 16 and 64 must have a valid Missouri fishing permit to participate. Anglers wishing to catch and keep trout must also possess a trout permit regardless of age.

MDC provides a chance for anglers to keep on top of trout stocking efforts in the St. Louis area via the Fish Stocking Hotline. The hotline is updated immediately after each stocking run. The number is toll free from anywhere in the St. Louis area. A recorded message lets anglers know when and where fish were stocked, the total number and species stocked.

Anglers are encouraged to call the hotline at 636-300-9651 to get the latest stocking information.

For information about fishing, go online at http://short.mdc.mo.gov/Z9N.