Catch the brook trout in Gold Lake, please!
OAKRIDGE, Ore. -- Too many brook trout, not enough rainbow trout.
That's the dilemma at Gold Lake, where the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has asked anglers to help remove brook trout to help the rainbows.
Jon Payne is happy to comply.
"Today we're up at Gold Lake about 4,500 feet," he says, "and we're going to catch us some eastern brook trout."
At least that is the idea. The fish have to bite first. So Payne switches fly lures.
"I think we'll go to a little damselfly nymph here," he says. "Let's make sure we pinch those barbs down in this lake."
Only barbless fly fishing is allowed at Gold Lake.
The nymph does the trick, and the fish start biting.
"That is a gorgeous eastern brook trout," Payne says of the catch. "They want us to keep them all, and that one will fry up just fine."
On the way off the lake, someone finally hooks a rainbow.
"We can't keep the rainbows," Payne explains. "We're going to let this one go."
Gold Lake is open from May 23 to Oct 31 for fly fishing with barbless hooks. There is no limit or size restriction on brook trout. However, it is catch and release only for all rainbows.
And bring your bug spray. They grow big in the Cascades.
Take Me Fishing: This story is part of the Take Me Fishing series. Take us fishing: Post your fish tales to YouNews
