Fish & Game has released hundreds of young trout into Lake McLaren and the Ruahihi Canal in the lower Kaimai ranges – to boost the fishing stocks for local anglers.

Lake McLaren, in McLaren Falls Park has year-round fishing with a bag limit of two trout and no size restrictions. The lake and canal are stocked annually with rainbows and brown trout about this time of year, and there are also wild fish present.

Fish & Game Officer Lloyd Gledhill says the 700 fish, just over a year old - 500 rainbows and 200 browns - were released last evening (6pm, October 16) into a stream that feeds straight into the lake.

“These hatchery-grown fish have all had the right pelvic fin clipped so that we can track their growth and survival when anglers send in their catch details,” he says.

Mr Gledhill says that Tauranga Anglers Club members turned out as usual to take part in the release of fish.

“It’s now a pretty longstanding tradition to hand over some buckets filled with fish to the youngsters, members’ kids, so they can take part – tipping trout into the water.

“On this occasion we even had an American visitor who took her turn at releasing some fish.”

Lake McLaren offers a very family-friendly and scenic fishing location, Mr Gledhill says.
There is vehicle access to the park and people can have a picnic by the lake using coin operated barbecues, and have a fish, he says.

A fishing licence is required to fish for trout, and an option for families is to purchase a family licence which allows two adults and two of their children or grandchildren to fish under the one licence.

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