DNR to stock Marr Park pond with trout

AINSWORTH — The Iowa Department of Natural Resources will drop roughly 1,000 rainbow trout into 77 bodies of water across the state in the coming weeks, one of which is the small pond in Washington County’s Marr Park.

Washington County Conservation Director Zach Rozmus said it was the pond’s third time being stocked with the fish, which reproduce only in cold, running stream conditions that don’t exist in Iowa outside of hatcheries, according to a DNR fact sheet.

“Once the water gets warmer, you could potentially see a die-off, or something like that,” Rozmus said. “But in our experience at the park, they get fished out pretty quickly so we haven’t really had to deal with that.”

Washington County Conservation plans to host a fishing derby the day the pond is filled, Oct. 21 at 1 p.m. according to a schedule posted by the state agency. The event will feature prizes for all age groups, already pledged by area organizations.

Rozmus said the yearly trout stocking made Marr Park a destination for avid anglers across Southeast Iowa. He recalled traveling to Strawberry Point himself, growing up, just to fish at the more regularly stocked streams in that area, over 100 miles away.

“It’s not really prevalent in our area,” he said. “Northeast Iowa and Northern Iowa, where you have freshwater streams and secluded streams, that’s where you’re going to see those native trout populations that are going to be local to Iowa … anglers will absolutely come out of the woodwork.”

As the DNR plans to pump 1,000 trout into Marr Park’s pond, Rozmus estimated the population would last until next spring.

“Ideally, when we’re doing the fall stocking like this, we’re setting it up for early fall fishing in the coming weeks,” he said. “But then we’re also setting it up for ice fishing clinics.”

Trout are open-season in Iowa, meaning they can be fished year-round, provided the water is cool enough host them. Doing so requires both a valid fishing license and a trout stamp, which covers five catches per day with a possession limit of 10. Children 16 and younger can catch trout as well, with the supervision of a properly licensed adult.

Other Southeast Iowa community trout stocking spots this year include Ottumwa Park’s south pond (Oct. 26, 11 a.m.,) North Liberty’s Liberty Centre pond (Oct. 27, 10:30 a.m.) and Prairie Lake Fishery in Cedar Rapids (Oct. 27, 10 a.m.) according to a DNR schedule.

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com