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!!

This has already been discussed on the main board. http://www.calfishing.com/dcforum/mainboard/98.html#
-Brian

The 10oz rainbows the DFG stocks sure make the bass grow big!!!


Best Fishes,

Matt Peters

southernswimbait.com
BigBait Fishing in the South

Har,
well if bass got big enough to eat 20lb rainbows, I would be all for stocking them.
Seriously, I really don't know what to say on this issue. A rainbow trout is a rainbow trout for the most part (unless it's a steelhead). While I think that it's disappointing that the record would come the way it did, I don't think that it would be fair to disqualify the record. I think what leaves such a bad taste in people's mouth is the type of lake the fish was planted in. If you take that fish and put it in lake Crowley, or Bridgeport, or any number of large fertile lakes, in my mind it becomes a more level playing field where the angler may have to posses some skill to catch the fish. Put that same fish in a small lake with murky water and say "go fish" and it becomes less of a fair persuit between fisherman and fish. Certainly it requires some skill to land a big fish, but I guartantee you that I could go down there to these lakes and smoke big fish on 2 pound test if that was what I felt like doing. I couldn't, on the other hand go to Crowley or Bridgeport and be so assured that I would catch fish so easily.
So those are some more thoughts, maybe not too difinitive. I do appreciate the post on the site and thought that it was very well worded and thought out.

-Rob

If I am understanding the discussion correctly, it would appear that whether the trout was "farm-bred" or "wild" is only a small part of the possible issue.

As far as the difficulty of catching a wild vs. farm-bred trout in the exact same body of water, I don't think there is a difference. A farm-bred trout and a wild one in the same mountain stream can use the same camoflage and is free to flee when a careless fisherman kicks a rock into the water or draws his boat too near. The trout definitely doesn't swim around with any notion that his pedigree dictates his instincts once he has a hook in his mouth. However, I think the problem evolves when you hit the "fish in a barrel" state.

I think there is a substantial difference between putting on a pair of waders and wandering around like Lewis and Clark or someone breeding a huge fish and putting it in a limited environment designed for one purpose: catching said trout.

If we are discussing the validity of records set in a controlled fishing environment, then I think many of us are more in favor of putting an asterick by the record. I personally believe that such environments are for entertainment and enjoyment (purposes at which they excel, in all fairness) but, they do not constitute a level playing field from which records should be born.

Deaner,
I agree with most of what you said, but as far as wild and farm raised trout having the same instincts, I disagree. Wild trout are born and grow up in the wild, where they must learn survival skills, such as choosing food, evading predators, camouflage, etc. Farm raised trout are raised in a controlled environment where there are little or no threats to their mortality. Therefore, they have nothing to worry about and have very little survival instincts. This makes them easier to catch because they don't know powerbait from a maylfly from goldfish flakes. Wild trout however, most of the time, have an understanding that mayflies are good to eat, leaves aren't, etc. This makes them more picky about their food, and more of a challenge to catch. Since they also grow up in the wild, and know the consequences of making bad decisions, they tend to pull harder than planter trout (wild trout FIGHT for their survival in every sense of the word). It is my opinion that wild trout are harder to catch than planter trout, because of the fact that they grew up avoiding predators, and learned to make good decisions, while planter trout did not.
-Brian

I stand corrected. Coming from a state where the only "farm" fish I saw were released as fry, I guess I lack a little perspective on how vast the difference can be.

LAST EDITED ON Jan-12-01 AT 02:40 PM (PST)

I said it before and hold my ground. I think it is pitiful for these fish to be considered for records (of any kind). I would feel exactly the same way if it were me who caught the fish. There is no way, no how I would even consider it for a record. Personally I'd feel like an idiot if I did. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing really wrong with fishing these lakes. I mean I wouldn't mind catching a 20 lb. Rainbow even if it is a stocker but consider it for a record? I don't think so.

To me these "pay money - catch big fish" lakes are like amusement parks. Anyone can ride Superman or Freefall but not everyone has the guts to skydive solo.

As far as wild trout vs. native trout there is no comparison. First of all how could a fish possibly fight as hard as another when half it's tail has been cut off - and that's just for starters. Up until I went to Canada a few years ago I never had the opportunity to catch native trout. I booked a trout fishing trip on Lake Maligne thinking it would be an alright way to spend the day. I didn't really like trout fishing too much because they weren't much of a challenge to catch and didn't really fight very hard. Boy was I in for a surprise. After my first hookup I almost died of shock and instantly fell in love with catching trout. It was a beautiful 20 inch rainbow that took off top speed for about 50 yards and then made a beautiful jump. After that fish I was pumped to catch as many as I could. A ho-hum day turned into one of the most exciting days of fishing I've ever had. The biggest fish was only 24 inches but I'd rather catch a native 24 incher than a planter 24 pounder any day.

***********************

You can't catch tomorrow what you kill today - please practice catch and release.

Doesn't matter anymore with this paticular fish. Seems he netted the fish as it lay dying in a few feet of water. A true Santa Ana River Lakes sportsman. http://www.ocregister.com/sports/recreation/fish00112cci.shtml

Ahhhhh, controversy. It sure has a way of raising it's head when it comes to big fish. Whether the guy caught it or netted it, it's depressing either way. He probably made the right call withdrawing it for the record. Saves everyone the hassle.

24 lb. trout
2 lb. test
1 minute fight

Is it just me or does something not add up!

***********************

You can't catch tomorrow what you kill today - please practice catch and release.