Southeast Kansas lake replenished with nearly 800 trout

FT. SCOTT, Kan. — A special delivery of trout arrived at Gunn Park in Ft. Scott. On Wednesday (12/11), Crystal Lake Fisheries out of Ava, Missouri replenished Fern Lake with nearly 800 fish.

"We keep a high number of fish here so that people have a high degree of success. If we weren't stocking these fish and keeping the density real high it wouldn't be a quality fishery," said Donald George, a fisheries biologist with the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks.

One angler who frequents Fern Lake is Ronnie Roberts. When the new trout arrived, Roberts was just one catch away from reaching the daily limit of five.

"It depends on how they want to bite. Some days they're finicky, some days you might come down here and in ten minutes have your limit,” said Roberts.

Fishing for trout requires a permit. Those fees are then used to help stock the lake.

"They're a really nice quality product and our anglers have been having a lot of fun catching them,” said George.

"I have caught a couple out of here that was probably pushing four pounds,” said Roberts.

George says the fresh supply benefits not just anglers, but the entire town.

"We attract a lot of people to Ft. Scott to fish here, and when they come to Ft. Scott, they spend their money. We keep a lot of people here. We have a lot of residents and their kids to make it a family outing — to come out on the weekends, or in the evening, or especially on pretty days like today, and catch trout,” said George.

The lake is stocked five times each season, which runs from December to March. The next delivery of trout will take place before the start of the new year.