St. JAMES, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) joins the James Foundation in honoring our veterans with a Veterans’ Free Fishing Day Saturday, June 14 at Maramec Spring Park.

MDC and Maramec Spring Trout Park invite veterans from all armed forces to enjoy a relaxing day of trout fishing in the cool waters of Maramec Spring.  The park will open at 5:30 a.m. and the Veterans’ Free Fishing Day event will be held from 6:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.  A special section is reserved exclusively for veterans and their families.  The park and stream bank are ADA accessible to allow for easy access. 

All trout tags and parking fees will be waived for veterans for this special event.  Veterans can pick up their free trout tags the day of the event at the Mill Field shelter.  All others can obtain daily trout tags at regular price from the James Foundation store.

MDC will conduct a special stocking in the reserved area for this occasion that will include multiple lunkers.  50 tagged fish will be stocked that can be redeemed for prizes.  There will also be a raffle for additional giveaways. 

Veterans and their families can enjoy free food, provided and cooked by Ian Huff. 

Other Veterans’ Free Fishing Day sponsors include Project Healing Waters, Hooked on Vets, Missouri Trout Fishermen’s Association, Daughters of the American Revolution, Ballwin VFW, T. Hargrove Fly Fishing, and the Ballwin Auxiliary.

For more information, contact Veterans of Foreign Wars representatives Dominick Delia at 314-280-7014, or AJ Evans at 573-631-7550.

Maramec Spring Park, owned and operated by The James Foundation, is home to Missouri’s fifth largest spring.  It is located on Highway 8 about six miles east of St. James, approximately and hour and a half from the St. Louis area. 

The park’s hatchery is administered by MDC and produces about 100,000 trout each year.  For more information about Maramec Spring Hatchery at 573-265-7801.