By David Markham
It’s now been more than a year since JCPRD discontinued requiring separate county permits to fish in JCPRD waters, and officials said public reactions have been very positive.
“It makes anglers’ lives a little easier, so I think it’s just made it better for everybody all around,” said Park Police Officer Lanae Rench. “It’s one less thing for us to ask for when we engage with the patrons. We hear less grumbling, and I think it leads to a more positive experience for our patrons because I know when I was enforcing it they were already paying for one fee for their state license, so a lot of times they weren’t even aware they needed to have another permit.”
“Anglers are happy not to have to get two permits or pay extra. Staff feels there has been an uptick of anglers possibly due to less fees,” added Assistant Superintendent of Parks and Golf Courses Devin Wetzel. “Not anything specifically to the permits, but staff do hear lots of thanks while in the field.”
JCPRD discontinued separate county fishing permits as of Jan. 1, 2025, as the result of a memorandum of understanding between the Johnson County Board of Park and Recreation Commissioners and the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks. Under the agreement, KDWP now manages JCPRD lakes. In exchange, JCPRD has received increased state support for its fisheries. Kansas State Fishing Licenses and State Trout Permits, where applicable, are still required and enforced by park police.
Rench noted that park police still enforce other JCPRD permits, including for boats, archery, drones, metal detectors, and model rocketry.
She noted that patrons can purchase JCPRD boat permits online, which has made life easier as well.
“So, even when we advise folks in the parks that, ‘hey, you need to have a boat permit,’ they can quickly go about getting it on their phone, and they can still hit the water. So, making that process better, too, was a good improvement.”
Officials said the fisheries management of JCPRD lakes is going well.
“Our team works closely with staff from the Fisheries Division of KDWP, and it’s been a great partnership,” Wetzel said.
“The partnership with KDWP has provided JCPRD with more scientific input, allowing us to make better management decisions for our anglers and park visitors,” said Natural Resources Technician Matt Dear. “Examples include our small mouth bass program and re-introduction of the hybrid striped bass and saugeye after years of inactivity.”
Information on permit requirements can be found at JCPRD.com/permits.
