Do I need a fishing permit to fish within or along St. Charles County Park waterways?
Fishing within and along park waterways is governed by the regulations of the state of Missouri. Permits are required for all persons aged 16-64 that fish at St. Charles County Parks. For a complete listing of Missouri’s fishing rules and regulations, please visit http://mdc.mo.gov/fish/. Why is St. Charles County Parks allowing harvestable fishing in its lakes? In order to maintain a healthy population within our waterways, it is necessary to remove several mature fish per acre each year. Bass and bluegill are self-sustaining populations and catfish can be re-stocked based on population studies. Without harvest, fish can become stunted and never reach full maturity. Harvestable fishing is new for St. Charles County Parks; however, this is not a new means for managing ponds. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has been implementing this strategy for many years, with much success. The Parks Department will be working with a fisheries biologist from MDC to monitor this style of
