IDNR Report

Indiana will stock 300 rainbow trout measuring 12-14 inches long in ponds at Shoaff Park in Fort Wayne and Memorial Park in Huntington for two family fishing events set for Saturday, Oct. 20.

The purpose of the stocking program is to offer an exciting and safe way for families and new anglers to experience the fun of fishing.

Both fishing events are scheduled to run from 8 to 10 a.m. No trout fishing will be allowed before the events. Participants will be asked to register before fishing. All anglers age 18 and older must have a valid Indiana fishing license and trout stamp. The catch limit per angler is five trout.

Shoaff Park is on Fort Wayne's northeast side at 6401 St. Joe Road. The pond is at the west end of the park down by the St. Joseph River. Memorial Park is west of downtown Huntington at 1200 West Park Drive. The park has two ponds but only the north pond will be stocked.

DNR staff will be at Shoaff Park to provide basic instructions on fishing, lend fishing cane-poles and rod-reel combinations to first-time anglers, and hand out red worms and bee moths for bait.

This is the fourth year of the event. Last year 109 people participated, including 62 youngsters.

This year the DNR is placing small, orange-colored, plastic tags on many of the trout stocked at Shoaff Park to help count the overall number caught during and after the event. Small canisters will be posted onsite for anglers to remove the tag and return them to the DNR.

For more information on the Shoaff Park event, contact the Fort Wayne Parks Department at 260-427-6000or the DNR at 260-244-6805.

For the Memorial Park event, the Huntington Parks and Recreation Department will provide a limited supply of fishing rods, lend reels to new anglers, and provide bait. Youngsters at Memorial Park will also have an opportunity to develop their fishing skills by casting for "backyard bass," which are colorful plastic fish placed nearby on land to make fishing easier.

The stocking at Memorial Park is the first in what could become an annual fishing event, depending on angler interest and catch.

For more information on the Memorial Park stocking, contact the Huntington park office at 260-358-2323.