VineAssist
10-06-2011, 04:52 PM
Are you ready????
Well ladies and gentleman its getting to be that time again. Its allmost here. Trout season 2011/2012 is just a mere month away and do the people of Irvine Lake and Calavares Trout Farms have something in store for you.
Made the drive up to Calavares Trout Farms in Snelling California early Wendsday morning. Took us approxiamtly six to seven hours to reach the farm from Irvine Lake. It was raining really hard through LA and into the grapevine and I got to thinking about how good the bite at the lake would be.
Anyways when we finally arrived at the farm we where greeted by Tim Goodson (owner and president of Calavares Trout Farms), his wife (Stacey Goodson) and Steven (assistant manager and truck driver). They where all smiles and could not wait to show of the fish they have in store for eveyone that comes to Irvine Lake. We made our way to the 1st runway and I instantly knew we where in for a BANNNER year here at Irvine Lake.
http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa447/MEDIA4IRVINELAKE/sizingthemup.jpg
The thing that sticks out to me most in this picture is just the sheer size of the Rainbow Trout that is next to a "estimated" 25-30lb Stergeon. There where some HUGE trout in this runway. This big bow is probably in the 15-19lb range and is just fatting up at Calavares Trout Farms waiting to be put into Irvine Lake.
http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa447/MEDIA4IRVINELAKE/parttwo.jpg
Here is another picture from the 1st runway. Just more quality fish in this one.
On to runway two. This is going to blow some of your guys minds. The fish where holding deeper in this runway and I could not quite make out what they where.
http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa447/MEDIA4IRVINELAKE/tonsandtonsofbrowns.jpg
Only a runway chocked full of QUALITY Browns and Brooks. Due to increased snowmelt from Yosemite the water coming into Calavares Trout Farms from the Merced River has been cooler than normal which has made for incrediable growth rates and spawning activity for the Exotic Trout Species we stock here at Irvine Lake.
http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa447/MEDIA4IRVINELAKE/scrappybrown.jpg
This quality Brown Trout is destined for some lure tosser or trollers stringer. Browns are notorious for biting Kastmasters and Rapals.
http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa447/MEDIA4IRVINELAKE/IMG_3430.jpg
Just a 5-7lb Brown Trout.
http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa447/MEDIA4IRVINELAKE/brown.jpg
another picture of the quality Brown. Cant wait for these guys to arrive.
NEWS FLASH: iRVINE LAKE GENERAL MANAGER SAYS "3,000 LBS OF THESE BEAUTYS WILL BE STOCKED FOR THE OPENER!!!!!!
Onto runway three we went. By this time I was like there is no way it could get any better. Well....................
http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa447/MEDIA4IRVINELAKE/boils.jpg
It was feeding time in runway three. Just massive amounts of 2-4lb fish coming up and boiling on the feed it was incrediable.
http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa447/MEDIA4IRVINELAKE/netfullofstockerfish.jpg
In to the water went James from Calavares Trout Farms to net some fish for us to snap a few photos of. I have to say these are the prettiest fish I have seen. The water off the Merced is of the highest quality and very cold. The trout here at Calavares have just loved the conditions this year and the colors and quality show. Irvine Lake and Calavares Trout Farms put out the "BEST QUALITY TROUT IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA" in my humble opinon.
But wait theres more.. How you ask. Well Tim and the good people of Calavares Trout Farms led us on to Runways four and five. These runways are ONLY and let me repeat that one more time ONLY used for the trophy sized fish that will be stocked into Irvine Lake.
http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa447/MEDIA4IRVINELAKE/photoop.jpg
Just a bunch of quality sized fish waiting to come to Irvine Lake. This runway was just full of fish in the 8-15lb class.
http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa447/MEDIA4IRVINELAKE/15.jpg
Here is a 15lb Rainbow Trout. Mind you the runway was just jugged full of these guys.
http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa447/MEDIA4IRVINELAKE/Yourmughere.jpg
This could be you sometime this year at Irvine Lake. James is doing the modeling honors. I cant wait to see peoples expressions as these guys hit the water. Its going to sound like cannonballs going off when they come out of the tube.
http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa447/MEDIA4IRVINELAKE/gulp.jpg
http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa447/MEDIA4IRVINELAKE/gulp.jpg
Open wide..Imagine this coming at you with your Power bait or trout worm hook pinned inside its mouth..
http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa447/MEDIA4IRVINELAKE/kciker.jpg
Just another view of the solid fish coming to Irvne Lake..
DAVE NOYES GENERAL MANAGER OF IRVINE LAKE IS GOING TO STOCK 5,000LBS OF THESE FISH FOR THE OPENER I am about ready to see if I can take the day off Opening Day just to get a shoot at this. Unreal..
Last but not least we headed over to the Nursery. This is where Tim and Steven put in a lot of hard hours raising the fry and hatching what will be the future of Calavares Trout Farms and Irvine Lake. Tim had eggs being delievered today 10/9/11 to the farm where they would be put in small raceways to hatch out. In a couple of weeks this is what they become.
http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa447/MEDIA4IRVINELAKE/fry.jpg
pictured above is Rainbow Trout fry. These fish are the future of Irvine Lake and Calavares Trout Farms. Hard to believe put somewhere in that batch is a future Irvine Lake Rainbow Trout Record.
Well I hope you guys enjoyed the pictures and the step by step trip through Calavares Trout Farms. Words and pictures really dont do it any justice. Next year I think I am going to invest in a Go Pro that way I can record everything and possibly do some under water shoots.
It is truly going to be a Trout Season Opener that you do not want to miss. I am still reeling from all of the quality fish I saw on the farm. Daniela and myself could not stop talking about how amped up we are for Trout Season because of what we saw. Come on out to Opening Weekend and experience the thrill of catching one of if not the best Quality Trout in Southern California.
Jimmy
Well ladies and gentleman its getting to be that time again. Its allmost here. Trout season 2011/2012 is just a mere month away and do the people of Irvine Lake and Calavares Trout Farms have something in store for you.
Made the drive up to Calavares Trout Farms in Snelling California early Wendsday morning. Took us approxiamtly six to seven hours to reach the farm from Irvine Lake. It was raining really hard through LA and into the grapevine and I got to thinking about how good the bite at the lake would be.
Anyways when we finally arrived at the farm we where greeted by Tim Goodson (owner and president of Calavares Trout Farms), his wife (Stacey Goodson) and Steven (assistant manager and truck driver). They where all smiles and could not wait to show of the fish they have in store for eveyone that comes to Irvine Lake. We made our way to the 1st runway and I instantly knew we where in for a BANNNER year here at Irvine Lake.
http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa447/MEDIA4IRVINELAKE/sizingthemup.jpg
The thing that sticks out to me most in this picture is just the sheer size of the Rainbow Trout that is next to a "estimated" 25-30lb Stergeon. There where some HUGE trout in this runway. This big bow is probably in the 15-19lb range and is just fatting up at Calavares Trout Farms waiting to be put into Irvine Lake.
http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa447/MEDIA4IRVINELAKE/parttwo.jpg
Here is another picture from the 1st runway. Just more quality fish in this one.
On to runway two. This is going to blow some of your guys minds. The fish where holding deeper in this runway and I could not quite make out what they where.
http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa447/MEDIA4IRVINELAKE/tonsandtonsofbrowns.jpg
Only a runway chocked full of QUALITY Browns and Brooks. Due to increased snowmelt from Yosemite the water coming into Calavares Trout Farms from the Merced River has been cooler than normal which has made for incrediable growth rates and spawning activity for the Exotic Trout Species we stock here at Irvine Lake.
http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa447/MEDIA4IRVINELAKE/scrappybrown.jpg
This quality Brown Trout is destined for some lure tosser or trollers stringer. Browns are notorious for biting Kastmasters and Rapals.
http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa447/MEDIA4IRVINELAKE/IMG_3430.jpg
Just a 5-7lb Brown Trout.
http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa447/MEDIA4IRVINELAKE/brown.jpg
another picture of the quality Brown. Cant wait for these guys to arrive.
NEWS FLASH: iRVINE LAKE GENERAL MANAGER SAYS "3,000 LBS OF THESE BEAUTYS WILL BE STOCKED FOR THE OPENER!!!!!!
Onto runway three we went. By this time I was like there is no way it could get any better. Well....................
http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa447/MEDIA4IRVINELAKE/boils.jpg
It was feeding time in runway three. Just massive amounts of 2-4lb fish coming up and boiling on the feed it was incrediable.
http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa447/MEDIA4IRVINELAKE/netfullofstockerfish.jpg
In to the water went James from Calavares Trout Farms to net some fish for us to snap a few photos of. I have to say these are the prettiest fish I have seen. The water off the Merced is of the highest quality and very cold. The trout here at Calavares have just loved the conditions this year and the colors and quality show. Irvine Lake and Calavares Trout Farms put out the "BEST QUALITY TROUT IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA" in my humble opinon.
But wait theres more.. How you ask. Well Tim and the good people of Calavares Trout Farms led us on to Runways four and five. These runways are ONLY and let me repeat that one more time ONLY used for the trophy sized fish that will be stocked into Irvine Lake.
http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa447/MEDIA4IRVINELAKE/photoop.jpg
Just a bunch of quality sized fish waiting to come to Irvine Lake. This runway was just full of fish in the 8-15lb class.
http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa447/MEDIA4IRVINELAKE/15.jpg
Here is a 15lb Rainbow Trout. Mind you the runway was just jugged full of these guys.
http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa447/MEDIA4IRVINELAKE/Yourmughere.jpg
This could be you sometime this year at Irvine Lake. James is doing the modeling honors. I cant wait to see peoples expressions as these guys hit the water. Its going to sound like cannonballs going off when they come out of the tube.
http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa447/MEDIA4IRVINELAKE/gulp.jpg
http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa447/MEDIA4IRVINELAKE/gulp.jpg
Open wide..Imagine this coming at you with your Power bait or trout worm hook pinned inside its mouth..
http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa447/MEDIA4IRVINELAKE/kciker.jpg
Just another view of the solid fish coming to Irvne Lake..
DAVE NOYES GENERAL MANAGER OF IRVINE LAKE IS GOING TO STOCK 5,000LBS OF THESE FISH FOR THE OPENER I am about ready to see if I can take the day off Opening Day just to get a shoot at this. Unreal..
Last but not least we headed over to the Nursery. This is where Tim and Steven put in a lot of hard hours raising the fry and hatching what will be the future of Calavares Trout Farms and Irvine Lake. Tim had eggs being delievered today 10/9/11 to the farm where they would be put in small raceways to hatch out. In a couple of weeks this is what they become.
http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa447/MEDIA4IRVINELAKE/fry.jpg
pictured above is Rainbow Trout fry. These fish are the future of Irvine Lake and Calavares Trout Farms. Hard to believe put somewhere in that batch is a future Irvine Lake Rainbow Trout Record.
Well I hope you guys enjoyed the pictures and the step by step trip through Calavares Trout Farms. Words and pictures really dont do it any justice. Next year I think I am going to invest in a Go Pro that way I can record everything and possibly do some under water shoots.
It is truly going to be a Trout Season Opener that you do not want to miss. I am still reeling from all of the quality fish I saw on the farm. Daniela and myself could not stop talking about how amped up we are for Trout Season because of what we saw. Come on out to Opening Weekend and experience the thrill of catching one of if not the best Quality Trout in Southern California.
Jimmy