Super-Sized Incentive Trout Now In Urban Lakes

Need a little extra incentive to go fishing during the opening weeks of 2008?

Well, look no farther than your local urban lake — you might even catch a monster 6-pound rainbow to brighten your year or provide your child a magical memory for a lifetime.

It’s time to grab your trout-fishing poles because the Arizona Game and Fish Department has now conducted its annual “incentive” stocking of trout into all Urban Fishing Program lakes and ponds. They did this up until mid-January, so the biggies may be lurking, just waiting for you as we speak.

“Some of those feisty rainbows [are] whoppers, with one huge fish tipping the scales at six pounds or so that [is now in] one of the urban lakes — possibly the one near you,” said Eric Swanson, who manages the Urban Fishing Program.

Larger-than-usual rainbow trout imported from the cold, clear waters of Colorado were added to the regular trout stockings, with a few whoppers mixed in as well. Normal sizes range from 10-13 inches, about half a pound or so each, but the extra fish will range from 13-18 inches. That’s 2-3 pounds each!

In addition, there are now many trout in the 4- to 5-pound range, and at least one trout 6 pounds or larger has been stocked somewhere in an Urban Fishing Program lake.

These trophy-sized fish can be caught at any of the 20 designated Urban Fishing Program waters in Arizona. You can’t catch the whopper if you don’t go fishing.

Anglers are reminded to purchase their 2008 Urban or Super Conservation fishing licenses and to pick up a free copy of the 2008 Urban Fishing Program regulations now available at all license dealers in the state. For more information on the Urban Fishing Program, visit www.azgfd.gov/fish and click on the “urban fishing” link or see related articles in this issue of AZBW.

Make 2008 the year of the Pisces at your home!