A public fish salvage will be conducted next month at Douglas County State Fishing Lake.

People with state fishing licenses will be able to fish the lake using a variety of methods from Jan. 7 to Jan. 15. The lake is being drained so that improvements to the fishing habitat and the dam can be made.

According to the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, the following are legal methods of salvage: rod and line, setline, legal seine (defined by fishing regulation book), dip net, cast net, gig and handfishing. No more than two rods and lines with no more than two hooks (single or treble) per line can be used.

In addition, each angler may set up to eight setlines with no more than two hooks per line. The name and address of the attendee must accompany each setline, which must be checked at least once every 24 hours.

Snagging also will be permitted. Boats may be used for fishing. Anglers must not drive in the lake basin. Vehicles should be left on hard surface roads.

Trotlines are not allowed.

There is no limit to the amount of fish or species that can be caught, and no size or daily creel limits.

Wildlife and Parks biologist Richard Sanders said fishermen should be aware that mud around the remaining pool of water will be very soft. Some fishermen have become stuck in mud at other salvages and had to be rescued, he said.

Sanders also warned that water temperatures will be cold, so safeguards should be taken against hypothermia. He recommends that fishermen fish with a friend.