Channel catfish, rainbow trout coming to Community Park

The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources has partnered with Anderson County Parks and Recreation to provide a fishing opportunity at Anderson County Community Park Lake.

The Community Park lake is enrolled in the Fishing in Neighborhoods program. The FINs program, which began in 2006 with five lakes, now includes 39 lakes in 24 counties. The goal of the program is to provide quality fishing opportunities near cities of all sizes throughout the commonwealth. These lakes are great places to make a quick getaway, relax and catch a mess of fish. They also are great places to take the family fishing without traveling far from home.

The lake will receive four yearly stockings of channel catfish and three annual stockings of rainbow trout.

Since trout prefer cold water, the department stocks them during the cool months of February, March and November. The department stocks catfish during the warmer months of March, April, May and August.

Anderson County Community Park Lake will be stocked with 200 channel catfish during the first two weeks of March. The stocked channel catfish will be 12-18 inches long and average one pound each. The stocking of 500 rainbow trout is scheduled for mid-March. The lake already received 500 rainbow trout stocked in early February. Rainbow trout will average 9-11 inches long.

Additionally, lakes containing sunfish and bass will be managed and stocked as necessary. Check the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife website for the complete list of lakes, exact stocking dates, license requirements and directions to each lake. The site also has a place for you to submit pictures of your catch. Just go to fw.ky.gov/urbanfishing.asp to get the latest information.

Daily limits for each angler fishing a FINs lake includes five rainbow trout, four catfish, one largemouth bass over 15 inches and 15 bluegill or other sunfish. A statewide fishing license is required for anglers who are 16 and older. Licensed anglers who want to keep their trout must have an additional trout permit. The trout permit is included in the $5 senior license for those anglers age 65 and older, as well as the sportsmen's license.

March 1 marked the start of the new year for fishing licenses. By purchasing a fishing license and trout permit you are helping fund fisheries management and the FINs program.