[ODFW-News] ODFW News: Surplus Steelhead Provide Unique Empire Lakes Fishery

[ODFW News]

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife    
Contact: Meghan Collins (541) 440-3353  
Internet: www.dfw.state.or.us  Fax: (541) 673-0372
     
For Immediate Release Friday, March 21, 2003
Surplus Steelhead Provide Unique Empire Lakes Fishery
Anglers can catch fish up to 10 pounds.
 
ROSEBURG - By the end of the month, Empire Lakes will boast up to 200 winter steelhead weighing between six and 10 pounds. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife stocks these surplus fish, providing a unique opportunity for anglers. The fish are considered trout once they are stocked in the lakes.
 
According to ODFW STEP biologist Tom Rumreich, the Empire Lakes stocking program is very popular with anglers. "It's a great fishery, and we always see a lot of kids out there trying to land a big fish. It adds some diversity to the fishery since the lakes are normally stocked with legal-sized and two-pound rainbow trout." 
 
Rumreich says these fish were not needed for broodstock at the Millicoma Interpretive Center located east of Allegany. The Center serves as an educational STEP facility and provides a fishery in the West Fork Millicoma River. 
 
Most years, more steelhead return to the facility than are needed for broodstock, so the Empire Lakes stocking program gives anglers another shot at catching them.
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