Rainbow Trout fishing season opens at Tidbury Creek County Park pond

(DOVER) - - Beginning Saturday, March 6, 2010 DNREC’s Division of Fish and Wildlife Fisheries program, will stock approximately 550 rainbow trout in the pond at Tidbury Creek County Park near Dover thanks to a partnership between DNREC’s Division of Fish and Wildlife and Kent County Levy Court.  This program has provided healthy, lively ½ pound Rainbow Trout at Tidbury Park for recreational anglers since 1992. 

The Division of Fish and Wildlife purchased the trout from central Pennsylvania with proceeds from last year’s Trout Stamp. Trout fishing at Tidbury Creek County Park pond opens at 7:00 AM Saturday, March 6. 

Tidbury Pond is owned and managed by Kent County Levy Court, and anglers are asked to be respectful of the wetland and shoreline habitats, upland vegetation and fences erected to protect landscaped areas. The Park is located about ½ mile south of Route 10 off State Street Extended near Dover. 

The pond will be stocked with approximately 550 rainbow trout, average size 11 inches and weighing about ½ pound each. Some “trophy-sized” rainbows weighing 2 pounds and measuring well over 14 inches also will be included. Stocking will be repeated Thursday, March 18 with the same number of fish in each pond.

Anglers wishing to try their luck are reminded that in addition to the normal fishing license requirements, they also must purchase a Trout Stamp, which costs $4.20 for ages 16 and older, or a youth stamp, which costs $2.10 for boys and girls ages 12 to 15. A resident annual fishing license, which now covers fresh and tidal waters as well as crabbing and clamming, costs $8.50 for ages 16 to 65; persons under the age of 16 and residents over the age of 65 are not required to purchase fishing licenses in Delaware. Higher stamp and license prices apply to non-resident anglers.

All proceeds from Trout Stamps are used to purchase next year’s fish. Since the price of trout is not expected to decrease in the immediate future, DNREC and Kent County hope plenty of anglers will come out this season to help support the program at Tidbury Creek Park.

To purchase a fishing license or stamps or for more information about the trout stocking schedule, visit www.fw.delaware.gov, or call the Fisheries section at 302-739-9914