Daily trout tag prices to raise in 2020
September 4, 2019
Charlea Estes-Jones
Anglers across the state will have to pay a little more to cast their lines starting February 29, 2020. The Missouri Department of Conservation announced trout tags and permits will go up after not changing for 18 years.
For Opening Day 2020, a daily trout tag will go from $3 to $4 for adults and from $2 to $3 for children 15 years or younger. Those prices will impact anglers at Roaring River State Park, as well as those at two of the state's other trout fishing parks, Bennett Spring State Park and Montauk State Park.
There is also fishing at Maramec State Park, but trout tags will actually jump an extra dollar there as part of a pilot program to raise fishing limits. Starting in March, daily trout limits will go from four to five trout, and the cost of the tag will be $5 for adults and $3 for children 15 and under.
MDC director Sara Parker Pauley said, "The five-fish-for-$5 pilot at Maramec Spring will allow us to survey anglers to determine their level of satisfaction. Gathering input from our anglers and area users is critical as we look at ways to recruit new anglers."
When MDC presented the proposed change at Roaring River State Park's Informational Meeting in June of this year, MDC deputy director Aaron Jeffries addressed the proposed change to trout fishing tags. Jeffries said overall, MDC did not receive much public comment regarding the change, meaning that most people didn't appear to be bothered by the change. He said, "I've done the research and Missouri State Parks trout fishing is a really good deal. Paying a few dollars to fish instead of paying for a day tag and per pound you catch at a private trout establishment isn't comparable. You're looking at over $40 to fish at those types of places. I feel like our hatcheries and parks give citizens a good value you don't see elsewhere."
Roaring River’s hatchery raises between 150,000 to 400,000 fry each year and releases 265,000 fish into the park. Statewide, the five fish hatcheries release about 1.7 million trout across the state for public fishing. In 2003, it cost around $1 per fish to raise a trout to maturity. In 2017, that cost had almost doubled, leading the state to consider raising prices.
Proposed daily trout tag increases were open to public comment during the month of July, and MDC publicly announced the decision to raise prices on August 26. The proposal to raise prices came from the Missouri Conservation Commission during its May meeting.
For those fishing outside of Missouri's State Parks, prices to trout fish elsewhere will go from $7 to $10 for annual trout permits for anglers aged 16 and up and from $2.50 to $5 for anglers 15 and under. Trout permits are not required within Missouri State Parks. However, anglers must have a valid fishing license to purchase a trout tag unless they are exempt.
MDC stressed in a press release that the current stocking size and daily stocking allotment will remain the same. Currently, trout caught and kept average around 12.5 inches. The possession limit will also stay the same, which is twice the statewide daily limit except for at Maramec State Park.
Charlea Estes-Jones
Anglers across the state will have to pay a little more to cast their lines starting February 29, 2020. The Missouri Department of Conservation announced trout tags and permits will go up after not changing for 18 years.
For Opening Day 2020, a daily trout tag will go from $3 to $4 for adults and from $2 to $3 for children 15 years or younger. Those prices will impact anglers at Roaring River State Park, as well as those at two of the state's other trout fishing parks, Bennett Spring State Park and Montauk State Park.
There is also fishing at Maramec State Park, but trout tags will actually jump an extra dollar there as part of a pilot program to raise fishing limits. Starting in March, daily trout limits will go from four to five trout, and the cost of the tag will be $5 for adults and $3 for children 15 and under.
MDC director Sara Parker Pauley said, "The five-fish-for-$5 pilot at Maramec Spring will allow us to survey anglers to determine their level of satisfaction. Gathering input from our anglers and area users is critical as we look at ways to recruit new anglers."
When MDC presented the proposed change at Roaring River State Park's Informational Meeting in June of this year, MDC deputy director Aaron Jeffries addressed the proposed change to trout fishing tags. Jeffries said overall, MDC did not receive much public comment regarding the change, meaning that most people didn't appear to be bothered by the change. He said, "I've done the research and Missouri State Parks trout fishing is a really good deal. Paying a few dollars to fish instead of paying for a day tag and per pound you catch at a private trout establishment isn't comparable. You're looking at over $40 to fish at those types of places. I feel like our hatcheries and parks give citizens a good value you don't see elsewhere."
Roaring River’s hatchery raises between 150,000 to 400,000 fry each year and releases 265,000 fish into the park. Statewide, the five fish hatcheries release about 1.7 million trout across the state for public fishing. In 2003, it cost around $1 per fish to raise a trout to maturity. In 2017, that cost had almost doubled, leading the state to consider raising prices.
Proposed daily trout tag increases were open to public comment during the month of July, and MDC publicly announced the decision to raise prices on August 26. The proposal to raise prices came from the Missouri Conservation Commission during its May meeting.
For those fishing outside of Missouri's State Parks, prices to trout fish elsewhere will go from $7 to $10 for annual trout permits for anglers aged 16 and up and from $2.50 to $5 for anglers 15 and under. Trout permits are not required within Missouri State Parks. However, anglers must have a valid fishing license to purchase a trout tag unless they are exempt.
MDC stressed in a press release that the current stocking size and daily stocking allotment will remain the same. Currently, trout caught and kept average around 12.5 inches. The possession limit will also stay the same, which is twice the statewide daily limit except for at Maramec State Park.