There may be better bass fishing in Fort Wayne, but it will likely take a few years to get there. As part of the Fishin' in the Fort program, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources recently stocked the pond at Lakeside Park with 780 largemouth bass fingerlings.

The Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation Department started the program in 2008 in hopes of improving fishing in the city and encouraging youth to participate in outdoor activities.

The bass are one to three inches long and were surplus fingerlings from this year's state hatchery production. The DNR stocked the bass as a measure to keep the sunfish population in check. A survey in 2008 showed an abundance of bluegill and pumpkinseed sunfish.

“It's all an effort to create balance among predators and their prey,” DNR fisheries biologist Nate Thomas said in a release. “This will help provide better fishing in the future.”

Pokagon State Park, north of Angola, features the state's only refrigerated toboggan run. It opens Friday and will be open every weekend through February.

There will be special holiday hours during the Christmas and New Year's season. Check www.tobogganrun.com for times and to purchase gift certificates, which are available online for the first time. Tickets can also be ordered by calling 1-260-833-2012 or at the park office 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Park entry fees are $5 per vehicle for Indiana residents and $7 for nonresidents.

Now-Sunday - Put-and-take pheasant hunts begin on select state Fish and Wildlife areas.

Sunday - End of deer firearms and early archery seasons.

5 - Deer muzzleloader and late archery seasons open.



Hosting or know of any outdoor-related events happening in Indiana? Send event and contact info to Chad Ryan at cryan@news-sentinel.com to get them listed in each month's calendar.