DuPage prepares for opening of trout season

The fall rainbow trout season will open at three DuPage County Forest Preserve District lakes - Pickerel at Pratt's Wayne Woods in Wayne, Grove at Wood Dale Grove in Wood Dale and Silver at Blackwell in Warrenville - at 6 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 17.

In preparation, the district will stock Pickerel Lake with roughly 2,000 pounds of rainbow trout and Grove Lake with about 500 pounds. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources will stock Silver Lake with about 3,000 pounds.

The three lakes will be closed to all fishing through Friday, Oct. 16, to allow the fish to acclimate and disperse through the lakes.

All anglers 16 and older who are not legally disabled must carry valid Illinois fishing licenses with inland trout stamps. Both are available for purchase from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays through Visitor Services at district headquarters, 3S580 Naperville Road, Wheaton, and at select retailers.

The creel limit for rainbow trout is five per day with no length restriction. Creel limits, depth maps and species lists for 30 forest preserve lakes are in the district's free "Fishing in DuPage County" guide, which is available online or through Visitor Services at (630) 933-7248 or forest@dupageforest.org.

"The trout fishing program is a great opportunity for anglers to come out and fish for a species that they normally can't find in this area," district ecologist Dan Grigas said. "What better reason to drop a line?"