MASON CITY – Blue Pit in Mason City and other locations in Iowa are now stocked with trout, ready for winter fishing, the Iowa DNR reports.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) released between 1,000 to 2,000 rainbow trout at five community trout ponds as part of its cool weather trout program that brings trout to areas that cannot support them during the summer.
The following locations are ready for anglers to catch trout: Lake Petocka (Bondurant), Bacon Creek (Sioux City), Ada Hayden Lake (Ames), Scharnberg Pond (Spencer) and Blue Pit (Mason City).
All winter/spring community trout stockings will be unannounced this year and family fishing events will not be held to help reduce the crowd size at stocking locations and minimize the spread of COVID-19.
The winter/spring community trout stockings are a great place to take kids to catch their first fish. A small hook with a nightcrawler or corn under a small bobber or small simple spinners such as a panther martin or mepps is all you need to get in on the fun.
Bringing trout to cities and towns offers a “close to home” option for Iowans who might not travel to the coldwater streams in northeast Iowa to discover trout fishing.
Check the DNR website at www.iowadnr.gov/trout and watch for future press releases to find out when the remaining community trout locations have been stocked.
