Division of Aquatic Resources

The Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) is pleased to announce the opening of the 2020 Rainbow Trout Fishing Season at Puʻu Lua Reservoir in the Kōke‘e Public Fishing Area on Kauaʻi. To address COVID-19 concerns and accommodate social distancing, a lottery system is being used to control entry. Anglers will be able to access the reservoir for 4-hour sessions scheduled between June 20th and July 12, 2020 on Saturdays and Sundays.

Application for the lottery is online only through the DAR website. Applicants must fill out an online form and provide an email address for the fishing session assignment. Notification of session assignments will be by email only. Entrance to Puʻu Lua Reservoir will require a lottery confirmation email, fishing license, and photo identification.

Persons interested in applying for the rainbow trout lottery should follow these instructions.

• Applicants will be required to obtain a Freshwater Game Fishing License: $3 for minors (9-15 years old), $5 for residents, no charge for senior citizens. Licenses may be obtained at authorized license agents or online.
• No group of more than two persons may engage in fishing, unless all in the group are part of a single residential or family unit sharing the same address.
• All persons engaging in fishing, who are not part of a single residential or family unit sharing the same address, shall comply with social distancing requirements.
• The names of ALL PEOPLE IN THE GROUP, whether fishing or not, must be included in the application.
• In the case of duplicate applications, the first application received will be entered into the lottery to assign fishing dates. Other applications will be removed from the list.
• The bag limit for rainbow trout per fisher per session will be seven fish.
• There will be NO ENTRY to Puʻu Lua Reservoir without lottery confirmation email, fishing license and Photo ID. LICENSES WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE TO PURCHASE ON-SITE.
• Fishers must sign in at the Puʻu Lua Reservoir main check station on arrival and sign out at the end of their assigned session.
• Fishers must wear masks during their session. NO MASK NO FISH.
• Neighbor Island fishers must adhere to current travel restrictions.
• Puʻu Lua reservoir intake will be closed and no access allowed via intake road. The Park Headquarters check-in station for the upper ditch system and Trail 2 check-in station for the lower ditch system will be closed until further notice.

The deadline for application is June 12. Confirmation emails with fishing session assignments will be sent out on or before June 17.