JOHNSTON, Iowa — The Iowa Department of Natural Resources have begun stocking lakes across the state with trout, and some anglers made their way to Terra Lake in Johnston to celebrate the occasion.
The event in Johnston was part of their community trout stocking program that will continue through the end of November. During the next few weeks, the DNR will pay trips to more than a dozen lakes and ponds to stock them with thousands of trout and rainbow trout.
But why are they stocking the water now when it's getting cold out?
"We have to wait for the water to cool off," explained Ben Dodd, Iowa DNR fisheries management biologist. "You know, trout are cold water species, so we have to wait until the water temp is around 60 [degrees] or less before we stock them here in the lakes."
He also mentioned trout can survive through the winter as the water will eventually freeze over. When spring comes and the ice thaws, anglers come back out and usually catch the rest of the fish.
The DNR also says the first couple weeks after a stocking is the best time to fish for trout due to the high density of them in the lakes and ponds.
Iowans are allowed to come out right away to catch-and-release fish, like they did Friday at Terra Lake.
"These events, these stockings, are probably some of the most exciting and fun things that we do," Dodd said. "Interactions with the anglers, they love this, like they come out and here and just have a blast."
"It was pretty cool man," admitted first-time trout fisher Mike Dixon. "[The trout] just shoot out of there and instantly start flopping all over the water."
Anyone interested in trout fishing must have the proper license. The DNR says an angler's daily limit is five trout, and children under the age of 15 years old can fish for trout with a properly licensed adult, but their daily limit is one.