Huckleberry Park pond is now open for catch and release fishing for bluegill, sunfish, channel catfish and bass.

The pond was stocked with bluegill and sunfish last spring and bass and channel catfish last fall. Aron Lee, assistant director of Hannibal Parks & Recreation, said the fish still need a chance to grow and reproduce and won’t be ready to harvest for a few years.

There is no charge for fishing, but visitors must comply with the rules and regulations of the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC). Permits are required for all people ages 16–64. Exceptions are granted for Missouri residents 65 or older, youth 15 years or younger, military personnel and veterans with appropriate eligibility verification and anyone with a disability with a certified statement of eligibility from a licensed physician.

Rainbow trout are still available for catch and harvest in the pond. A fishing license and a trout permit is required. Lee said the trout will survive until the water temperature begins to rise above 65 degrees. The daily limit is four trout, and the possession limit is 10 trout.

The renovated pond was funded with the help of an $184,000 Land and Water Conservation Fund grant. The pond, in the 63-acre park at U.S. 61 and Huckleberry Drive, was leaking water and it had bank erosion and accessibility issues. The pond was drained, excavated and lined with clay. It was widened at its north end and the shore was lined with stone rip-rap to control erosion. A sidewalk was constructed around the pond and a handicap-accessible dock installed for people with mobility issues.

Information on fishing licenses available on the Missouri Department of Conservation website: https://huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/fishing