Photo By Scott Sturkol | A trout caught in an installation stream is shown Sept. 1, 2024, at Fort McCoy, Wis....... read more read more
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Wisconsin’s 2025 early catch-and-release trout season, which includes Fort McCoy streams and tributaries, opens Jan. 6 and continues until 11:59 p.m. May 3.
Only artificial lures may be used during the early catch-and-release trout season, and all fish caught must be released immediately, said Fort McCoy Fisheries Biologist Steve Rood with the Directorate of Public Works Environmental Division Natural Resources Branch. The appropriate Fort McCoy permit, Wisconsin fishing license, and trout stamp are required.
Access to Fort McCoy’s trout streams and tributaries is fairly easy. There are many trout fishing opportunities available within close proximity of several major roadways at Fort McCoy, Rood said.
“The 2024 stream surveys found trout abundance (measured in the number per mile) was at the fourth highest and trout biomass (measured in pounds per acre) was at an all-time high,” Rood said. “This follows the trend from the previous five years with trout abundance and biomass well above average. These extraordinary numbers and size of trout will provide anglers with a great opportunity to pursue some quality fish.”
Rood said anglers at Fort McCoy should keep an eye out for tagged trout.
“Many of the brown trout anglers may encounter have been marked with a blue Floy tag to track their movement, age and growth,” Rood said. “Each tag has a unique five-digit identification number along with a phone number for the Permit Sales Office. However, with the recent change in phone numbers, the number on the tag is out of date. Anglers are reminded that if they wish to report catching a tagged fish, they need to use the new Permit Sales Office phone number: 502-898-3337, and disregard the phone number located on the tag.
“If an angler reports a tagged fish they can receive the life history of that particular fish,” Rood said. “Along with tagged trout, there are also tagged largemouth bass and walleye located in some of the lakes on Fort McCoy.”
Rood added that trout spawning surveys from fall 2024 indicated trout successfully completed their spawning migrations.
“This should result in another abundant year class of fish in 2025,” Rood said.
The early catch and release trout season on streams begins on the first Saturday in January and runs through the Friday preceding the first Saturday in May.
Fishing licenses and permits for 2025 are valid through March 31. A 2025 Wisconsin fishing license, trout stamp, and related Fort McCoy permit will be required starting April 1.
The 2025 licenses can be purchased from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) online at https://gowild.wi.gov. All prospective anglers must do is create an account at the Go Wild site, select the licenses they need, pay for the licenses, and print them, all online.
Fort McCoy fishing permits are only available through the iSportsman automated permit issuance system at https:\\ftmccoy.isportsman.net.
People without direct access to the internet can also utilize the Hunter Information Point (HIP) self-serve kiosk or stop into building 2168 to receive assistance from the Permit Sales Office to purchase their permits from the iSportman system.
The HIP is located along State Highway 21 at the intersection of South J Street and State Highway 21 and is open year-round. A credit card will be required to purchase a permit from the HIP.
Anglers are also reminded to read the updated Fort McCoy fishing regulation that is on the Fort McCoy iSportsman web site, https://ftmccoy.isportsman.net, and to check the gameline for closed areas prior to fishing. The gameline can be accessed on the iSportsman website, at the HIP, or via phone at 866-277-1597.
Also, through a number of resources available online, following are some tips on how to properly catch and release trout:
• When catching and releasing a trout, face the fish upstream in gentle flowing water, preferably in the stream water near the shore and not in fast current.
• When releasing the fish, don’t let the fish go until it gives strong tail-swimming movements and swims firmly out of your gentle grip.
• Handle trout gently, keeping it in the water as much as possible. Unhooking the trout without lifting it from the water is best.
• Remove hooks with needle-nosed pliers or forceps. Using barbless hooks makes releasing trout much easier.
• If a trout is hooked deeply, cut the line and release the fish. The hook eventually will dissolve, leaving the trout unharmed.
More information about inland trout fishing is available online at the WDNR website at https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/fishing/trout. The WDNR also states Wisconsin boasts more than 13,000 miles of trout streams with more than 5,000 classified as high quality, class I trout streams.
For Wisconsin 2024-25 trout fishing regulations and more about license rates, visit https://widnr.widen.net/s/gvs9sx8mdl/seasondates2425.
Anglers looking for more information about installation fishing regulations should go to the Fort McCoy iSportsman website at https:\\ftmccoy.isportsman.net, or contact the Permit Sales Office at 502-898-3337.
Learn more about Fort McCoy online at https://home.army.mil/mccoy, on Facebook by searching “ftmccoy,” on Flickr at https://www.flickr.com/photos/fortmccoywi, on X (formerly Twitter) by searching “usagmccoy,” on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/fortmccoywi, and on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@fortmccoy.
Also try downloading the My Army Post app to your smartphone and set “Fort McCoy” or another installation as your preferred base. Fort McCoy is also part of Army’s Installation Management Command where “We Are The Army’s Home.”
| Date Taken: | 12.06.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 12.06.2024 14:22 |
| Story ID: | 486860 |
| Location: | FORT MCCOY, WISCONSIN, US |
| Web Views: | 61 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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