(Des Moines, IA) -- Iowa Department of Natural Resources Fisheries staffers have been releasing thousands of rainbow trout into ponds and lakes.
Crews have stocked two-thousand trout at six locations, so far. They plan to do 18-more locations.
The D-N-R says some areas are ready for anglers: Banner Lake (Indianola), Big Lake, (Council Bluffs), Sand Lake (Marshalltown), Moorland Pond (Fort Dodge), North Prairie Lake (Cedar Falls) and Heritage Pond (Dubuque).
The DNR says all fall community trout stockings will be unannounced and there will not be any family fishing events to help reduce the crowd size at stocking locations and minimize the spread of COVID-19.
All community trout stocking locations should be stocked by November 4th.
DNR Fisheries experts recommend a small hook with a nightcrawler or corn under a small bobber or small simple spinners such as a panther martin or mepps to catch the fish.
Anglers need a valid fishing license and pay the trout fee to fish for or possess trout. The daily limit is five trout per licensed angler with a possession limit of 10.
The DNR says fishing license sales have soared by about 50-percent this year in Iowa, as residents look for socially-distanced activities.