Trout season opens in DuPage County
The spring rainbow trout season opens Saturday, April 1, at lakes in three DuPage County forest preserves.
Anglers were expected to be out early at Grove Lake at Wood Dale Grove in Wood Dale; Silver Lake at Blackwell in Warrenville; and Pickerel Lake at Pratt's Wayne Woods in Wayne.
In preparation, the forest preserve district stocked Pickerel Lake with roughly 2,000 pounds of rainbow trout and Grove Lake with 1,000 pounds. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources provided Silver Lake with roughly 3,200 fish.
The three lakes were closed to all fishing until 6 a.m. Saturday to allow the fish to acclimate and disperse.
The creel limit for rainbow trout is five per day with no length restriction. All anglers 16 and older who are not legally disabled must carry valid Illinois fishing licenses with inland trout stamps. Both can be purchased from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays at the forest preserve district headquarters, 3S580 Naperville Road in Wheaton, where anglers also can pick up free copies of the "Fishing in DuPage County" guide.
For details, contact Visitor Services at (630) 933-7248 or forest@dupageforest.org.
The boat-rental area at Silver Lake at Blackwell also opens for the season today. Canoes, kayaks and rowboats are $10 an hour or $50 a day; rowboats with electric trolling motors are $15 an hour or $75 a day.
After today, the rental area will be open:
• 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through Sept. 5, along with Memorial Day, July 4 and Labor Day;
• 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. weekdays, May 31 through Sept. 2; and
• 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, Sept. 9 through Oct. 1.
Visitors with private, nongasoline-powered watercraft under 20 feet - boats, canoes, kayaks and multichambered inflatables with factory-installed hardened floors and transoms - also can use the Silver Lake boat launch at Blackwell.
District permits and either Illinois water usage stamps or state registrations are required. District permits are $7 a day or $35 a year for DuPage residents and $9 a day or $45 a year for others.
Daily permits are available at the boat-rental area or at the steel lock box near the launch. Annual permits can be purchased online, at the Blackwell rental area, or through Visitor Services, where walk-ins also can purchase water usage stamps.