Photo by Cory Zurcher
INDIANA FISHING LAWS : KNOW BEFORE YOU THROW !
Fishing is permitted at McCloud Nature Park and at W . S . Gibbs Memorial Park , but there is information and laws that are important to know before you throw a line in the water .
Big Walnut Creek runs through McCloud Nature Park , which provides fishing opportunities within the park , and in the fall of 2021 , the ponds at W . S . Gibbs Memorial Park were stocked with fingerlings by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources ( DNR ) Division of Fish & Wildlife . We anticipate that those fingerlings will reach a harvestable size by the spring or summer of 2023 .
We welcome fishing at both parks , and you are allowed to keep what you catch . There is no charge to fish at our parks , although anglers must abide by all Indiana fishing laws and regulations . Those laws and regulations are enforced by Indiana Conservation Officers . Our staff do not have the authority to override state laws or regulations or to provide exceptions to them .
FISHING LICENSES With a few exceptions , a valid fishing license issued by the Indiana DNR is required to fish in public lakes , streams , rivers , tributaries , and boundary waters in Indiana if anglers are 18 or older . This includes both McCloud Nature Park and W . S . Gibbs Memorial Park .
A licensee must hold an ink-signed copy of a license while fishing . Signed printed copies and signed electronic copies are acceptable . Anglers must present the license to an Indiana Conservation Officer or any other authorized law enforcement official upon request . There are fines and penalties for fishing without a license .
For more information , including how and where to purchase a fishing license , visit www . on . IN . gov / INHuntFish . Our department does not sell fishing licenses .
FREE FISHING DAYS On Free Fishing Days , Indiana residents do not need a fishing license to fish the state ' s public waters . All other rules such as seasons , bag and size limits apply .
Free Fishing Days are an excellent opportunity to learn how to fish , take your family fishing , or introduce a friend to fishing . We often host fishing programs and events at our parks on Free Fishing Days .
To learn the dates of Free Fishing Days , visit www . in . gov / dnr / fish-and-wildlife / fishing / free-fishing-days /.
20 • www . HendricksCountyParks . org