Illinois Mixed Bag: Spring trout fishing opens April 6 – Outdoor News
Springfield — The 2024 Illinois spring trout fishing season will open April 6 at 58 ponds, lakes, and streams throughout the state.
DNR stocks more than 80,000 rainbow trout each year in bodies of water where trout fishing is permitted during the spring season. An additional 80,000 trout will be stocked for the fall trout season, which begins in October.
For the 2024 spring trout season, no trout may be taken from any stocked sites until 5 a.m. April 6. Anyone attempting to harvest trout before the legal harvest season opening will be issued citations. For information about all site regulations, anglers should contact individual sites that will be stocked with catchable-size trout.
The daily harvest limit for each angler is five trout. Open sites and other rules can be found on the DNR website.
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U.S. Bowfishing Championship Targets Carp
Gonzales, La. — The premier championship in the rapidly growing sport of bowfishing – the Bass Pro Shops U.S. Open Bowfishing Championship – will be held in Louisiana April 27-28.
The 11th annual competition will be hosted at the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s in Gonzales, La., with eligible tournament waters extended throughout Louisiana. The popular event is open to two- to four-person teams and offers the largest payout of any bowfishing tournament, providing over $100,000 in cash and prizes.
In addition to the large payout, conservation side pots are awarded for the harvest of the largest invasive species, including: grass carp, bighead carp and silver carp.
IRBS Presents at American Fisheries Society
Havana, Ill. — Staff from the Illinois River Biological Station IRBS attended the annual meeting of the Illinois Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, presenting on a handful of issues and projects in Illinois. Graduate student Kaiden Vinavich was awarded a Larimore Research Grant for his project investigating diet overlap in young-of-the-year invasive carp and native fishes and invasive carp age demographics across multiple river basins.
In addition, staff and technicians gave four poster and platform presentations on:
• Oriental weatherfish distribution, frequency of occurrence, and relative abundance in pools of the Illinois Waterway.
• Reimplementation of the LTRM Macroinvertebrate Component in the Mississippi and Illinois rivers.
• Backwater connectivity impacts on selected riverine fishes on the lower Illinois River.
• Reduction of large vessel traffic improves water quality and alters fish habitat-use throughout a large river.
Wingshooting Clinic Set at Moraine View
Leroy, Ill. — Moraine View State Park in McLean County will host an Introductory Wingshooting Clinic April 20. This clinic is designed for beginner and novice youth and adults who are interested in learning to shoot or improve their ability to shoot a shotgun at moving clay targets. The clinics are designed for beginner or novice youth and adult shotgun shooting students. Youth participants must be at least 10 years old, 4 feet, 6 inches tall, and weigh 75 pounds or more to register.
Shotguns, shotshells, eye and hearing protection, and lunch are provided for all registered participants. Each clinic is comprised of a morning classroom session taught by a DNR/National Sporting Clays Association Certified Wingshooting Instructor. Students learn firearm nomenclature, firearm safety, and some principles of hunter safety during the morning session. The afternoon session is taught at a shooting field or range by DNR/NSCA Certified Wingshooting Instructors.
For information, visit the DNR website or email [email protected]
Deer Association Hires Director of Policy
Washington — Catherine Appling-Pooler has been hired as the National Deer Association’s new Director of Policy.
Appling-Pooler will lead NDA’s Advocacy and Policy work and operate the organization’s Advocacy Center, which informs NDA members and deer hunters through action alerts and news on policy matters affecting deer and hunters.
Appling-Pooler joins NDA from the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, where she was legislative liaison and engaged with the department’s Commission, the executive leadership team, and conservation partners.
Vintage Decoy Show Returns to Lombard
Lombard, Ill. — The 2024 North American Vintage Decoy & Sporting Collectibles Show will take place April 23-27 at the Westin Chicago Lombard Hotel in Lombard.
Considered the largest decoy and sporting collectibles show in North America, the event includes room-to-room trading, followed by an exhibit hall dealer show, plus a Guyette & Deeter auction.
Educational seminars, decoy/sporting collectibles displays, carving demonstrations, silent auctions and free appraisals are also part of the show. For more information, visit https://nadecoycollectors.org.
Habitat Enhancement Projects Funded by ICF
Springfield — Seventeen Illinois Schoolyard Habitat Action Grants totaling more than $55,200 have been awarded for habitat development at schools and other public places.
The Illinois program supports the development or enhancement of wildlife habitat on school grounds or other public places. Funding is provided through donations to the Illinois Conservation Foundation.
Applications will be accepted soon for the next round of grants, with an application deadline of Nov. 30, 2024. Applications are available by emailing [email protected].
Source: https://www.outdoornews.com/2024/04/02/illinois-mixed-bag-spring-trout-fishing-opens-april-6/
