Fountain City Lake stocked with trout for winter fishing. And catfish will come later.

It was a few years ago when Sally Petre was trying to determine the impact of an urban fishing initiative on Fountain City Lake.

Petre, a biologist in the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency’s Region 4, had been part of the program that stocked the lake with 350 trout.

“When we did the stocking (once a month for three months − December, January and February), there was a little boy (grade school-age) who was going around asking everyone what bait they were using,” Petre said. “I went back every week to talk to the anglers and that boy was there every time. After a while, he was pretty confident in what he was using.”

Seeing that boy develop from someone completely new to the experience to a fellow hooked on fishing was proof that the investment was paying off.

This is the sixth year the TWRA has conducted its urban fishing program. The cold weather months feature the infusion of trout, and the rest of the year the stocking is catfish.

“This is an effort to bring the fish to the people,” Petre said. “There aren’t a lot of fishable waters near city centers. This is a way to get it done.”

Fountain City Lake ideal for fish program

The spring-fed Fountain City Lake is a great candidate for the stocking program. It and Greenbelt Lake in Maryville are the primary outlets in Region 4. There are several other lakes across the state, especially in West Tennessee.

Six years ago, the city of Knoxville worked with the TWRA to remove an invasive species of aquatic vegetation that had taken over the lake. Petre said the vegetation would interfere with the fishing process.

Having amenities like walking paths, bathrooms, picnic tables and easy accessibility helped with Fountain City Lake’s case to be part of the program.

“We want this to be a family friendly activity,” Petre said. “It’s a good environment where our officers can talk to the people fishing about what they have and what else they might need.”

Petre said surveys taken from the people fishing have determined about 90% are very satisfied with the program.

Limit five daily

The TWRA lists release dates on its website. The last trout release will happen Feb. 9. Because trout are a cold-water species, they won’t last as the weather − and water − warm.

The Buffalo Springs Trout Hatchery in Rutledge will have the fish grown to about 12 inches when they are released. There are no size restrictions in the harvesting process. The only regulations are a five-fish daily limit.

Licenses are mandatory for anyone age 13 or older. They can be purchased at any Walmart, sports store or online. There’s also a TWRA app that can be used to get licensed.

“This is an opportunity for people to stay close to home and get hooked on fishing,” Petre said. “If someone wants to try out a new bait or a different style of fishing, they don’t have to drive an hour to do it.”

For more information, call the TWRA regional office in Morristown at 423-587-7037.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Knoxville's Fountain City Lake stocked with trout for winter fishing