Forest Preserves of Cook County Prepares for Fall 2019 Trout Fishing Season

Nearly 7,500 pounds of fish will be added to trout fishing lakes

The 2019 fall inland trout fishing season opens on Saturday, Oct. 19, at the Forest Preserves of Cook County trout fishing lakes: Axehead Lake and Belleau Lake in Park Ridge, Busse Reservoir – North Pool in Elk Grove Village, Sag Quarry East in Lemont, Horsetail Lake in Palos Park and Green Lake in Calumet City.

The Forest Preserves is stocking approximately 1,000 pounds at Horsetail Lake, while the Illinois Department of Natural Resources is providing and stocking 850 pounds of rainbow trout at Sag Quarry East; 2,700 pounds at Busse Reservoir – North Pool; 1,255 pounds at Axehead Lake; 1,000 pounds at Belleau Lake; and 667 pounds at Green Lake. These are catchable sized rainbow trout, in the .5-1 pound size range.

Young fisherman catches a decent size Perch at Candlewick Lake in Northern Illinois

As part of the IDNR’s stocking program, fishing for and possession of any trout is illegal from Oct. 1 until 5 a.m. on Oct. 19. In addition, the Forest Preserves’ trout lakes will be closed to all fishing from Monday, Oct. 14, until sunrise on Saturday, Oct. 19. The lake closings allow the trout to disperse throughout the lakes prior to opening. Once the season opens, there is a five trout per day creel limit with no size restrictions. No more than two lines per person with no more than two hooks per line may be used.

A valid Illinois sport fishing license with an Inland Trout Stamp is required for anglers 16 years of age and older. An Illinois sport fishing license is not required for Illinois residents who are disabled and have a State of Illinois disabled I.D. card showing a Class 2 or 2A disability or a Veterans Disability Card, and Illinois residents who are on active military duty and are home on leave.

For a list of all lakes and waters open to public fishing within the Forest Preserves of Cook County, visitfpdcc.com/recreation/fishing and download the Fishing Guide. The guide includes maps that show location and depth of each lake, as well as main fish species. The public can contact the Forest Preserves’ Fisheries Section at 708-403-6951 for further information.

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Ray Hanania

Ray Hanania is an award-winning columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.  

Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

A critic of mainstream news media bias, Hanania advocates for peace & justice for Israel & Palestine, & the empowerment of Arabs in America. 

Click here to listen to Ray's Political Podcast. 

Hanania's columns are archived on his personal website at RayHanania.com. Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.

Email Ray Hanania at rghanania@gmail.com.

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