USF&W Hatchery and IDFG Stock Lunker Trout For Young Anglers

Young anglers - grab your tackle box and fishing pole and head to Lewiston's Burling Pond. Personnel from Fish and Game's Orofino Hatchery recently released over 250 lunker rainbow trout that average 1.5 pounds at the small pond in north Lewiston. The trout were raised at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife's Dworshak National Fish Hatchery in Orofino, and donated to IDFG and the Nez Perce and Coeur d ÔAlene tribes to supplement area waters for the busy July 4th weekend. The trout are progeny of Shasta stock, a species noted for their strong fighting ability and excellent table fair. Although the average weight is 1.5 pounds, some trout weigh in excess of 3 pounds. "There are some lunkers out there," said Ralph Roseberg, fisheries biologist for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Orofino. "They'll make a lot of kids happy little campers." Lewiston Parks and Recreation department reminds anglers that fishing at Burling pond is open to disabled licenses holders and youth 14 years and younger. Fishing is a great family activity. From generation to generation, families have shared skills and found common ground at their favorite fishing spots. Urban fisheries, like the Burling Pond in north Lewiston, offer close to home opportunities where a fishing trip can be easy to prepare for, or even a last minute event. IDFG encourages all anglers to become familiar with the fishing regulations. Anyone 14 years old or older must have a valid license to fish in Idaho. Nonresident children under 14 may fish without a license if accompanied by a license-holding adult, who must include the child's fish in his or her bag limit.