This is an important message for our fishermen.

You can be heard and you can participate.

We need your help and want your opinion!

A local Outdoor Writer, in a recent column, requested his Reader’s input on hatchery-stocked trout setting new state records. The heading of his column was, "Jury Is Out On Whether Record Is Record".

In case you haven’t heard, Craig Joachim of Anaheim CA, caught a rainbow trout on December 27, 2000, at Santa Ana River Lakes, that was certified to weigh 23.76 pounds. This was the largest rainbow trout ever caught in the State of California.

We have always felt that a rainbow trout at the end of your line,
regardless of its original heritage, is a rainbow trout at the end of your line. Now, some want to qualify it. One might compare this effort to discredit Craig Joachim’s record, with discrediting a farmer in the state fair, who raised a huge record pumpkin, under ideal conditions in his garden, simply because it wasn’t grown in the wild?

Fishermen spent thousands of dollars, for fly in fishing vacations in Canada or Alaska, in hopes of catching just one trophy sized trout. Several years ago, we at Santa Ana River Lakes negotiated with Mt. Lassen Trout Farms, to raise the largest trout possible, so that we could bring the trophies to you. They met the challenge and over the years, and we have been able to bring Canada/Alaska style fishing, to urban Southern
California for only $16 a fishing trip. To insure great fishing at our Lakes, we have stocked fish weekly and sometimes as many as three times a week, with trout and catfish in abundant quantities. This was to ensure that every fishermen has a reasonable chance of catching fish and maybe even a huge trophy sized rainbow trout or catfish.

Some have questioned the validity of "Hatchery Fish", but in fact, the truth is that the vast majority of all trout caught in California are produced in hatcheries. That's why the Fish and Game has hatcheries and contracts with private hatcheries, such as Mt. Lassen and Alpers, to augment their stocking programs. Even a substantial portion of the salmon runs have their origin in State and privately owned hatcheries, on various Northern California Rivers. Face the facts - if there were no hatcheries,
there would be no trout fishing in California.

If producing huge trophy sized trout in hatcheries is a sin, we could go back to a far less expensive operation and stock 10 ounce rainbows like Fish and Game has done for years.

What difference should it make whether it is a 10 ounce hatchery trout stocked by the Fish and Game in the Kern, American or Owen’s River or a 23.76 pound hatchery fish, caught in any one of the Lakes in Southern California. If it's record size, and if it's a rainbow trout, it's a RECORD RAINBOW TROUT, period.

Mt. Lassen is the largest trout hatchery operation in California. In addition to supplying private operations like Santa Ana River Lakes and Corona like they also supply fish to the Department of Fish and Game.
Additionally, they are authorized to ship fertile fish eggs to hatcheries all over the world. Their operation is unique in all of California.
Rather than relying on sources of water from canals and rivers that may have been contaminated with pollutants, diseases or parasites most of their waters come from virgin mountain springs. The water is captured at the springhead, as the virgin water flows from the earth for the very first time. The cold mountain water flow is directed into a series of segregated streams and waterways, where the fish are raised to maturity.

If you're looking for "Wild", the Mt. Lassen area is just about as remote as it gets. It's the home of every form of wildlife California can offer, from black bear, deer, wild turkey, raccoon, beaver and a whole host of hawks, owls and other raptors. It is also the source of many tributaries
that feed the major waters of Northern California, such as the Sacramento River and Lake Shasta. Mt. Lassen trout are raised in a truly wild environment.

It's no wonder why so many anglers rave about the excellent taste of the fish supplied by Mt. Lassen Trout Farm. It's delectable in flavor, the meat is firm, pink in color like a salmon and never mushy or muddy tasting, like so many other trout raised in inferior conditions.

Mount Lassen Trout Farm is truly one of the largest and most innovative hatchery operations in the country. They are a major supplier of fertilized eggs and they are on the leading edge of Fish biology. Their innovations include the Lightning Trout, Thunder Trout, Brown Bows, hatchery raised Sturgeon and huge trophy sized rainbow trout. We are certainly fortunate to have such a forward thinking Fish Breading Expert to support our operations.

You're the jury. If you want us to continue to stock the biggest fish we can obtain, and if you catch one of these huge trophies and its sets the record, should it be recognized? If you feel like we do and believe the record should be recognized, then let the dissenters hear your voice.

If the jury is out, here are the jury instructions.

The California Department of Fish and Game rules are as follows:

#1. Catch a rainbow trout larger than the previous record.
#2. Have the fish weighed and certified on a State certified scale.
#3. Have the trout inspected by the Department of Fish and Game to certify that it is in fact a rainbow trout.
#4. Verify that the fishermen held a valid California fishing license at the time to fish was caught.

Nothing in the rules prevent hatchery trout from qualifying for records, as almost all trout come from hatcheries. There has never been a “Wild” trout requirement, for that matter, how would you know if it was “Wild” or came from a hatchery. As for Craig Joachim’s record, all of these elements were complied with and the fish was certified. Any attempt to disqualify this record is like changing the rules in the middle of the football game
because your team is losing.

We want to know how you feel on this issue.

Here is how you can be heard.

Tell Dave Strege, the Outdoor Writer for the Orange County Register. (714) 796-7809 or e-mail him. dstrege@notes.freedom.com Don't be shy, Dave is a good guy and he welcomes your thoughts.

Then go to our website at http://www.fishinglakes.com/poll.htm and take the online Poll. You can vote for, or against this issue and also see how others have voted.

You’re the jury!

Let your voice be heard!!