T-L Photo/JENNIFER COMPSTON-STROUGH Anglers cast their lines into Belmont Lake last week at Barkcamp State Park. Warmer weather is already attracting several people to the park.

BELMONT — Area fishing enthusiasts will soon have the opportunity to hook some prime catches at their local state lake or pond.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources said area lakes are being stocked with rainbow trout, starting last Tuesday. On March 24, Belmont Lake at Barkcamp State Park will be stocked, and the Barnesville Reservoir on Slope Creek Road will be stocked March 25.

“They raise these trout, and they’ll bring them in a fish truck,” Logan Ambrister, ODNR wildlife officer for Belmont County, said.

More than 80,000 trout are stocked throughout the state every spring at public lakes and ponds. Rainbow trout are raised at state fish hatcheries and measure 10-13 inches long before they are released by the ODNR Division of Wildlife. The daily harvest limit for inland lakes is five trout per angler.

Matt Hangsleben, fishery biologist with ODNR District 4 in Athens, said the stocking will proceed without interruption.

“As far as supply chain and inflation … that’s not going to affect the number of trout that we’re producing this year. Basically these trout take over a year to produce. We’ve had them in the hatchery since last year, feeding them, growing them to have them ready to stock this spring. All the lakes are getting roughly the same number that they got in previous years,” he said, adding that rising gas prices are not expected to cause delays. “Unless unforeseen circumstances come up, trout will go in those lakes on those days.”

Hangsleben said fishing numbers have increased since 2020.

“In recent years, we have seen an increase in fishing and just people being outdoors in general,” Hangsleben said. “We’re hoping we get some warm weather. We’re hoping people get out there and fish for some of these trout and fish for other species Ohio has to offer.”

Fishing licenses can be obtained through the ODNR or at fishing-related businesses.

More information about trout stocking dates at Ohio’s lakes can be found at ohiodnr.gov.

Meanwhile, Ambrister said hunters are also preparing to kick off spring turkey season April 23 through May 22.

“You’re allowed to kill one turkey in that season. It has to be a bearded turkey,” he said, noting mature male turkeys have distinctive breast plumage.

“For anyone that wants to go hunting in the spring, what they’ll probably be hunting is turkey,” he said. “Anybody who would want to go hunting would have to take a hunter education class before they’re allowed to buy a hunting license. … They can do it online or do it in person as well. … In order to hunt for turkey, you need a hunting license and a spring turkey permit.”

He noted the trend toward hunting has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, with many hunters interested in an outdoor activity with practical benefits.

“That’s when people became interested in it just as something to do and another way to get food. It is an ethical way to get food, and it’s a good thing to do, so hopefully that trend continues,” he said. “With COVID things did change a little and it was exciting for us to see multiple people getting out into the field and enjoying the outdoors.”

Ambrister said information about licenses and hunter education courses can be found at wildohio.gov. In addition, he said there are numerous hunter education courses across the state.

“Different people put them on. It’s not really through us. It’s volunteers that do it, so they’d have to figure out who’s putting on one soon,” he said. “It’s usually an all-day thing and you take the test at the end of the course.

“We also have an app now, it’s called HuntFish OH and it works really, really well,” he said. “You can find fishing regulations on there, the hunting regulations. There’s maps of different wildlife areas of state parks, and you can also buy your licenses and permits on there.”

Ambrister said dates for deer season have not yet been set.