Fishing In NeighborhoodS

April, May, June, and November at Middleton-Mills Park

Hey, let's go fishin'!

2010 Middleton-Mills Park Shelterhouse Pond AND Long Pond stockings, to date:

March 2: Channel Catfish

April 13: Channel Catfish

April 15: Rainbow Trout

Kenton County Parks & Recreation, in cooperation with Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources, is excited to announce that the Long Pond, in addition to the Shelterhouse Pond at Middleton-Mills Park has been added to the list of lakes included in the KDF&WR Fishing In NeighborhoodS, or FINs program.

The aim of the program is to create quality fishing opportunities near cities of all sizes throughout the state. Lakes are regularly stocked with catfish and rainbow trout throughout the year. In addition to these lakes being stocked with catfish and trout, the sunfish and bass populations are regularly sampled to ensure natural reproduction is meeting the needs of anglers. Stocking of hybrid sunfish and/or largemouth bass may occur, if needed.

FINs is Fishing In NeighborhoodS and is intended to enrich and lengthen the season for fishing in Kentucky. And it seems to be working! The program was started in 2006 with just 5 lakes enrolled; in 2010, the program has been expanded to include 29 lakes. For more about the FINs program, visit http://www.fw.ky.gov/urbanfishing.asp.

The FINs program is a cooperative agreement between KDFWR and city/county municipalities. In our case, Kenton County, as lake owners, have committed to cover 25% of the stocking costs. All lakes in the FINs program have a standard set of regulations that will be posted around the lakes. These regulations are a little more restrictive than the statewide regulations but help spread the fish harvest out over a longer period of time.

At Middleton-Mills Park, the Shelterhouse Pond will be stocked with 200 Channel Catfish (9-15") and 200 Hybrid Bluegills (5"+) three times annually: in April, in May and again in June, just prior to the Kids Fishing Derby. Additionally, 500 Rainbow Trout (8-12" keepers) will be stocked in April and another 500 Trout will be stocked in November of each year.

Catch & Release, except during the Kid's Fishing Derby at Middleton-Mills Park is now history ~ these fish are being stocked for you to catch, take, and eat for dinner! There is a daily ´Bag Limit' of 5 Trout, 4 Channel Catfish, 1 Largemouth Bass (which must be at least 15" in length), and 15 bluegill or other sunfish. Please remember, you must have a valid Kentucky Fishing License in your possession to fish in any of Kentucky's public waters AND you must have Trout Stamp if you are keeping Trout. You can purchase your fishing license and Trout Stamp at a number of Northern Kentucky retailers, including Latonia Bait & Tackle, located at 3408 Rogers St., Covington, KY 41015, Dick's Sporting Goods, and Wal-Mart.

Directions to Middleton-Mills Park are easy! The address is 3415 Mills Rd., Covington, KY 41015. From I-275, take Covington/Taylor Mill exit (Exit 79), go south on KY16 seven miles to Mills Road, go east (turn left) on Mills Road, and go one mile to the park. The Shelterhouse Pond is the pond you'll see as you enter the park. Or, continue on around to the right to the Long Pond, a more natural-looking environ a bit further into the park, just past the Soccer fields. The Channel Cats that were stocked as fingerlings five years ago are monsters now!

For news of upcoming programs, activities, and events to be held in Kenton County's parks, call the Parks & Recreation office at (859) 525-PLAY (7529). Ask about signing up for a once-a-week e-mail update of What's Happening in Kenton County's parks.