The California Department of Fish and Game has been planting four to seven pound trophy size trout into the Lower Kings River to flex the fishing rods of Valley anglers.

Six months ago, the California Department of Fish and Game sponsored a series of public meetings to gain input from California's anglers about trout hatchery operations in the state. One of the common themes that came from those public meetings is that California anglers would like to have more opportunity to catch bigger trout in close-to-home lakes and streams. A group of experimental fish was already being held and reared at the San Joaquin Fish Hatchery for two years, to determine how large they could be grown, and to determine the comparative cost of rearing them to larger sizes. The 3,000 finished products of those experiments are now being planted into the Kings River.

DFG selected the Kings River as the destination for the big fish, in part, because in 1999, the Department entered a very successful cooperative Fisheries Management Agreement with the Kings River Water Association and Kings River Conservation District. With input from local angling groups, those cooperative efforts have resulted in development of abundant suitable fish habitat below Pine Flat Dam. In addition, the best time of year for fishing on the Kings is the winter, when high irrigation flows are absent and the river has safe access for wading and fishing. The winter period also is the closed trout season in many other areas of California, so big fish planted at that time in the Kings will not draw anglers away from other fisheries of economic importance to other local communities. It will therefore be a true bonus fishing opportunity. The Kings is within a one-hour drive for about one million people and within a two hour drive for nearly 3 million people. So the fish would provide "close-to-home" angling as requested by DFG's license-buying anglers. A fishing license is required for persons 16 years of age or older. For those who don't have an annual (all-year) license, a two day license is available at DFG offices and license vendors.

The first 1,000 of the big fish were stocked in time for the Christmas break. Half of those went into the reach from Pine Flat Dam to Alta Weir (about 7 miles), where regulations allow anglers to keep up to a five fish limit. The other half was stocked downstream of Alta Wier, where catch and release and barbless hook regulations are in place. In that zero fish limit section, anglers may catch and release any number of fish unharmed, but may not keep or kill any trout. The big fish plants are in addition to the normal numbers of "catchable-size" ?? pound fish which are routinely stocked in the Kings. A truck-load of those catchable-size fish was also planted to assure angling fun for those who do not connect with a big fish, or for younger anglers who may lack skills needed to handle or land bigger trophies. "We would love to see lots of anglers come out to enjoy what should be very exceptional fishing." said DFG's Regional Aquatic Program Manager, Dale Mitchell. DFG plans to continue stocking the big trout about every two weeks through March, until the 3,000 fish are all planted.

DFG plans to evaluate the public's response to plants of larger fish and the longer-term contribution of these big fish to the Kings River fishery. Will they attract anglers back who may have not been fishing in a few years? Will they provide a wholesome recreational option for young people? Will the fish spawn on their own, after release? Will some big fish survive until the following year and be caught as ten or twelve pounders? How far will anglers travel to enjoy this quality of fishing? Should the program be expanded? There are many parts of the evaluation. At least for now, hatchery managers are confident that the program will be a success. The hatchery already has a pond full of one-year-old fish destined to be next winter's Kings River lunkers, and it is likely other streams or lakes may be included next year.