by Jody Spear and Kelly Meyer –
MASON CITY – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources announced Wednesday that they would be releasing 1,500 trout into Big Blue on Friday at noon.
“I got off work, my dad called and said the trout were jumping out of the lake, to get the canoe and let’s go fishing,” said Darrell Ward (pictured). “I’m anxious to get out there and get some trout. It’s beautiful weather, a great day for some fishing.”
Ward’s dad, on the other hand, wanted everyone to know, “There aren’t any fish here, try somewhere else.” He wants to keep them all to himself, all in good fun.
Jim Voss and his son Colton had been at Big Blue for a couple hours. “You should have been here then. There were about fifty to seventy-people catching trout left and right,” said Jim. “It’s kind of slowed down now, I don’t believe we’re going to get the limit.” They had caught three trout, the limit is five per trout stamp.
Keith Carolus, from Klemme, was sitting on his empty pail. “Today is the first time I’ve been trout fishing in Iowa. I heard they replenished today, so I thought I’d try my luck.” He had just arrived, so he was wished good luck and left to get some serious trout fishing done.