Feb. 25, 2010
Vol. 40, No. 51

For more information, contact Craig Shirey or Mike Stangl, Fisheries, Division of Fish and Wildlife, 302-739-9914, or Joanna Wilson, Public Affairs, 302-739-9902.

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife
announces spring 2010 trout stocking plans

The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife today announced that its spring 2010 downstate trout season will begin Saturday, March 6 with the opening of two downstate ponds stocked with rainbow trout.  On that date, Tidbury Pond near Dover in Kent County and Newton Pond outside of Greenwood in Sussex County will be open for trout fishing beginning at 7 a.m. 

“In the past the season started earlier in the week, but delaying the opening until Saturday morning worked so well last year we decided to keep the same plan this year,” said Fisheries Administrator Craig Shirey.  “By stocking a day or two before the opening, the trout will have a chance to spread out in the pond. Trout will be stocked again later in the month as well.” 

Newton Pond, a restored barrow pit, was very popular in its first season and will be stocked for its second year. The 10-acre site was renovated using Federal Aid in Sportfish Restoration funds and features a boat ramp for car top boats and canoes (no gasoline motors allowed), a fishing pier and plenty of shoreline access to allow anglers to spread out. “We do have to stress ‘car top boats’ only, since the ramp was not designed or constructed for heavy vehicles with boat trailers, and vehicular traffic is blocked from using the ramp,” Shirey added. 

“Newton Pond is currently open for catch and release fishing for previously stocked bass and bluegill. The trout, however, are fair game and we encourage fishermen to keep them up to the limit of six,” Shirey continued, noting that trout are a cold water species and can only survive while water temperatures in the pond remain cool. 

Tidbury Pond is owned and managed by Kent County Parks and Recreation, and anglers are asked to be respectful of the vegetation and fences erected to protect landscaped areas. Newton Pond is owned and managed as a state wildlife area by the Division of Fish and Wildlife.

Each 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.

On 10 separate dates beginning in late March, more than 31,000 rainbow and brown trout will be stocked in six designated trout streams in northern New Castle County: White Clay Creek, Christina Creek, Pike Creek, Beaver Run, Wilson Run and Mill Creek. All of the streams will receive a heavy stocking just prior to the season opener on the first Saturday in April. Trout stocking will continue on a regular weekly basis through the end of April. 

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, the Fisheries Section is hoping plenty of anglers will come out this season to help support the program, Shirey added.