The Fish Sniffer

(Markley Cove) As the last net-load of spunky rainbow trout were released at Markley Cove, Lake Berryessa, the group of volunteers and Dept. of Fish & Wildlife personnel cheered. This completed the process of getting the fish into the four pens, where they will live and be fed by volunteers and Markley Cove’s Lee Gray until early spring.

The pens were cleaned by California Inland Fisheries Foundation volunteers a few weeks ago and fish food delivered, after CDFW established the delivery date of January 3. The group met at Markley Cove early that morning and got to work after the fish delivery truck arrived at the ramp.  

The Eagle Lake strain triploid trout came from Darrah Springs Hatchery in Red Bluff and were in excellent health, averaging 1.2 pounds per fish. This is a sure sign that by the time early May arrives and time for release, many of the fish will be in the 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 pound range.

Volunteers assisted CDFW personnel in transferring fish by the net-load into boats, then delivering them to the pens at the end of the houseboat docks. The process, with two boats, took a couple of hours, with crews manning the loading and unloading of the fish.  

Thanks to everyone who assisted…John Eagleton, Stan Wong, David Enos, Bob Lloyd, Larry Aaker, Rick Soto, Charles Woods, Don Nevis, Ray Erck, Brian Givens, Larry and grandson David Boswell, Witt Finger, Jason Green, Joel Franzoia, Abraham Rodriquez, Lee Gray and CDFW Kyle Murphy, Elliott Doss, Mike Meinz & Mike Mamola. What a fun rewarding experience…a real work “party”!

Fishing at Lake Berryessa is good and getting better and anglers are scoring with larger than ever rainbow trout! Thanks to the California Dept. of Fish & Wildlife and CIFFI, this lake has become a premier fishery in the State, with rainbows and king salmon available…and kokanee a little later in the spring!  For more Info, got to: http://www.CIFFI.org.