Lake Shawnee closed for week after rainbow trout stocking

Air temperatures dipped into the 30s on Saturday morning as crews from Shawnee County Parks and Recreation and Ava, Mo.-based Crystal Lake Fisheries were on hand to stock Lake Shawnee with 7,000 pounds of rainbow trout.

The lake is now closed to all fishing until 6 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, to allow the trout time to acclimate to their new surroundings and disperse, though the trout opener doesn’t officially kick off until the following day, Nov. 1. The lake’s heated dock near the marina on S.E. Dock Drive will also open on Oct. 31 this year.

Jeremy Myers, director of park operations for Shawnee County Parks and Rec, was on hand, providing a live look at the event on Facebook Live for the public at home, as this year’s fall stocking was closed to the public because of COVID-19 restrictions. Myers provided some color commentary as communications and public information supervisor Mike McLaughlin recorded the live video on his phone.

“This is part of our Community Fisheries Assistance Program grant with the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, so a lot of partners in this trout stocking,” Myers told The Topeka Capital-Journal. “ ... Just a wonderful opportunity for the fish to be released and caught by all the fishermen and fisherwomen and all the kids and just lifelong experiences for fishing, as you all know.

“I think it was just a wonderful morning. It was a great, great brisk morning that we had, and due to COVID restrictions we couldn’t invite the public out here, but we did a Facebook Live. You can go to our Facebook page, Shawnee County Parks + Recreation, and view that, comment, we’ll comment back if we get some good questions or whatever we have to do, but just a wonderful experience this morning.”

Anglers ages 16 and older will need to purchase a $14.50 trout permit, in addition to their state fishing license, in order to pursue the trout at Lake Shawnee or any other Kansas lake that stocks the salmonid. Those younger than 16 may fish without a permit but will be limited to keeping just two trout per day rather than the daily limit of five allowed with the permit.

“You can get those down at The Dock down on 29th just down the road from Lake Shawnee, Walmart, Department of Wildlife sells them, as well,” Myers said.

As an added bonus for eager trout anglers, this year’s class of fish had some good size to them, as well.

“From what the staff say, they’re bigger than last year,” Myers said. “So I hope we get some good prize fishermen and fisherwomen to show their trout and post them to our Facebook page. We love to see them. Love the reactions and any stories that we can gather about this, because it really helps with the grant program, as well — the fisheries program that we apply to every year and have successfully been awarded this grant every year.”