First trout fishing of the year

Spring stocking schedule.

LINCOLN – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will stock catchable-size rainbow trout in several city ponds and lakes across the state this month.

The schedule, subject to change depending on conditions, includes date, location, approximate time of stocking, and quantity:

March 13 – Fremont State Recreation Area (SRA) No. 2, 4,000 trout; CenturyLink Lake, Eugene T. Mahoney State Park (SP), 2,500; Weeping Water Pond, 1,500

March 14 – Humboldt City Park Lake, 350; Auburn Rotary Club Lake, 800; Fort Kearny SRA, 600; Holdrege City Park, 1,500; Auble Pond, Ord, 750; Ponca SP, 900

March 15 – Lake Halleck, Papillion, 11 a.m., 1,200; Steinhart Park, Nebraska City, 12:30 p.m., 1,200; Holmes Lake, Lincoln, 11:30 a.m., 4,000; TaHaZouka Park, Norfolk, 9:30 a.m., 1,500; Pawnee Park West, Columbus, 11 a.m., 1,500; Heartwell Park, Hastings, 10:15 a.m., 450; Windmill SRA No. 2, 11: 15 a.m., 300; Barnett Park, McCook, 10 a.m., 1,000; Curtis Golf Course, 11 a.m., 150; Oxford City Lake, 1 p.m., 150; Elm Creek, 2:30 p.m., 1,000

March 17 – Stanton Lake, Falls City, 600; Pawnee City Pond, 300; Morrill sandpits: north, 1,350, middle, 450; Scottsbluff Zoo Pond, 900; Terry’s Pit, Terrytown, 1,500

March 18 – Lake Ogallala, 2,600; Bridgeport SRA northwest pit, 1,400

March 20 – Lake Ogallala, 4,000

Week of March 17 – Ponca SP, 600; Fremont SRA No. 2, 1,000; Gracie Creek Pond, 1,000

March 24 – Lake Ogallala, 2,400

Week of March 31 – Niobrara SP, 1,000

All anglers fishing in Nebraska, except residents under age 16, must have a fishing license. A park entry permit is required for each vehicle entering state parks, recreation areas and historical parks. Purchase permits at OutdoorNebraska.org.

Got out and did some trout fishing on Halleck Monday given the warm temps and lack of wind and had some success with salmon eggs. Was happy to get out and enjoy the weather and the thrill of fishing again. I did head out again this morning before the cold front moved through and had success with a small spinner with a salon egg on the back end.