DNR stocks trout ahead of spring stream opener

ST. PETER, Minn. (KEYC) - Saturday, Apr. 12, is opening day for trout streams and it’s going to be a nice weekend to catch some fish.

The trout ponds northeast of Saint Peter have just been stocked with 1500 fish by the Department of Natural Resources. Anglers will need a fishing license and a trout stamp if you’re between the ages of 18 to 65.

Editors Note: To clarify, 16-89 years old need a fishing license, and those under 16 need to be accompanied by a licensed parent or guardian), if you’re 18-64 you also need a trout stamp validation to fish on designated trout waters

“There will be plenty of fish to go around and plenty of bank access for everybody, and it looks like it’s going to be nice this weekend too,” Brandon Eder of the Minnesota DNR Fisheries and Hatcheries said. “I’ll probably be working, but if I wasn’t, I’d be out here trying to catch some trout. Trout are cool. They’re really pretty fish and they fight hard and they’re aggressive.”

The DNR wants to remind people that Apr. 12 is the opener for trout in streams, and even though they’re called the trout ponds, they are classified as a stream. Anglers can fish in St. Peter, Seven Mile, and Fort Ridgely, but Hiniker Pond can’t be fished until the regular season opener on Saturday, May 10.

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