Delaware
Ohio Division of Wildlife releasing relatively easy-to-catch trout in Columbus-area waters
Daylight savings time arrived last weekend. The vernal equinox will usher in spring late on Tuesday.
And on Wednesday it’s another sign of the changing seasons: Hatchery trout are scheduled to be released at Blue Limestone Park Pond in Delaware, part of an annual delivery by the Ohio Division of Wildlife meant, at least in part, to spread the joy of fishing.
Ohio Division of Wildlife continues to reward anglers who catch fish of a certain size
The 10- to 13-inch rainbow trout released at 95 sites throughout the state during a two-month span are relatively willing biters. Some of the releases feature youth-only angling as a means to get kids hooked on fishing.
The Delaware infusion will be among the first in central Ohio. On Thursday, Heritage Park Pond in Groveport is scheduled to get its share of the 85,000 trout to be released. Cenci Park Pond in Lancaster is listed as a Friday release.
Scheduled to get trout on March 25 are four Columbus ponds: Franklin Park, Linden Park, Westgate Park and Whetstone Park. Franklin, Linden and Westgate are scheduled for a second release on April 15 and Whetstone on April 25.
Something of a Good Friday tradition, the typically well-attended release at Antrim Lake in Columbus is set for March 29. Releases are scheduled for April 1 at three additional Columbus ponds: Goodale, Krumm and Schiller parks.
Beyond that, fish will be released at Mirror Lake in Granville on April 13, at Harry Wolfe Park in Plain City on April 17, at Ashley Upground Reservoir north of Delaware on April 27 and at Sunbury Upground Reservoir No. 2 on May 4.
Released rainbows don’t tolerate summer water temperatures and so are meant to be caught. Their preferences aren’t particular, meaning a cane pole with a bobber floating above a baited hook is likely to bring bites.
The catch limit is five each day.
For release details, including changes wrought by weather, check the Web site, wildohio.gov.
Hatchery visits
Open houses are scheduled during the coming weeks at six state fish hatcheries, including two not far from Columbus.
The area’s first open house occurs April 6, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the 230-acre Hebron hatchery, 10517 Canal Road SE, in southern Licking County. Fifty wooded acres and 2½ miles of nature trails are features of the site where saugeye, walleye, channel catfish, blue catfish and bluegill are raised.
The 80-acre London hatchery, 2570 Roberts Mill Road, London, will be open to visitors May 4, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Madison County location produces brown trout, rainbow trout and muskellunge.
Hatchery staff will guide visitors and answer questions.
Fishing book
Author, speaker and recently retired longtime Ohio radio host Dan Armitage of Worthington has written a colorful and informative how-to entitled “Let’s Learn to Fish!”
Released last week in two formats by Storey Publishing, the 128-page book is designed for readers age 6 and older. Step-by-step color photographs show details that cover beginner bait and tackle, rigging, casting and reeling in fish. The book offers tips on where to fish for crappies, bass, catfish, perch, trout and sunfish.
Armitage, who is also a freelance writer for more than a dozen outdoor publications, leads a popular kids’ program on the basics of fishing at sport shows and retail outlets across the United States.
The trade paperback, which can be found at numerous booksellers, sells for $16.99 and the e-book at a discount to that.
outdoors@dispatch.com
Delaware
Local police departments earn state accreditation
The Delaware Police Officer Standards and Training Commission recently announced that the Dewey Beach Police Department and Rehoboth Beach Police Department have both earned state accreditation from the Delaware Police Accreditation Commission.
As part of the rigorous process, a team of DPAC assessors ensured all accreditation standards were met by completing comprehensive, on-site inspections of each agency, reviewing their policies and procedures for compliance, and conducting interviews with department members.
“This milestone represents a significant step forward for public safety in Delaware. The initial state accreditation of these police agencies reflects a strong commitment to professionalism, accountability and excellence in law enforcement. I commend each department for their dedication to serving their communities with integrity and for upholding the highest standards,” said Joshua Bushweller, Department of Safety and Homeland Security secretary and DPAC chair.
Delaware
DDA inducts three Delaware Century Farms – 47abc
Dover, Del. – Three farms, one from each of Delaware’s counties, were inducted into the Century Farm Program by the state Department of Agriculture on Thursday at the Delaware Agricultural Museum.
Each of the family farms has been owned and operated for at least a century. Each received a sign for their farms, an engraved plate and legislative tributes.
In addition to Secretary of Agriculture, Don Clifton, and Deputy Secretary Jimmy Kroon, state Senators David Wilson (R – District 18) and Kyra Hoffner (D – District 14) were also in attendance.
Wright Family Farms are located in Harrington in Kent County. In 1919, the farm was purchased by William Wright. Over a century later, William’s grandson, Ronald, is the owner and his great-grandson, Greg, said he hopes to continue the family legacy by buying the farm from his father.
Although the event celebrated each family for their hard work and resilience, it also highlighted the challenges farmers have to surmount to stay in business today, let alone for a hundred years.
“The price of equipment, the price of fertilizer, the price of seed, everything is just gone up,” Greg said. “So, you know, everything’s going up that we gotta purchase just to stay in business.”
Clifton, Kroon and Wilson also echoed difficulties in balancing the need to preserve agricultural land with the need to develop housing and sustainable energy projects like solar power.
“I know housing is very important, and we want people to always have good housing, but at some point, I think you’re going to saturate the area with more houses than you have food to feed these people,” Wilson said.
Kroon also said there are difficulties in keeping future generations motivated to stay in farming.
“When you think about it in the context of multi-generational farm families, there’s a real long-term challenge where a new generation may think twice about whether they want to keep farming if it’s always a struggle,” he said.
Clifton said farming has always been a challenging way of life, but it has been so since time immemorial.
“These families, their experience shows that they have an appreciation for the way of life and perseverance and that’s to be honored and emulated to the greatest extent possible,” he said.
Greg said he hopes to pass down the way of life so that his family legacy can live on for another hundred years, as well as for other families.
“A hundred years as the same family tilling the land, that’s, you know, that’s an honor right there,” Greg said. “And I hope that more farmers who are close to 100 years old will be doing the same thing. You know, keep it in the family.”
Delaware
Investigation underway after man’s body pulled from Delaware River
An investigation is underway after police said a man’s body was pulled from the Delaware River in South Philadelphia.
According to police, around 9 a.m. on Friday, April 17, 2026, emergency responders pulled an unidentified man from the Delaware River, near the Navy Yard. Medic’s pronounced the man dead at 9:11 a.m.
Léelo en español aquí.
SkyForce10 flew above as police and other first responders were on the scene.
NBC10
NBC10
Police are working to determine the circumstances of the incident and identify the man.
This is a developing story; check back here for updates.
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