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