Take Dad Fishing For Big Trout on Father's Day - Incentive Trout From 1 to 13 Pounds Are Being Stocked

You have some big incentives this year for taking your dad fishing on Father's Day: the Arizona Game and Fish Department is stocking some "incentive" rainbow trout ranging from 1 to 13 pounds into clear high country lakes along with its regular trout stockings.

Dad just might catch a big-fish-of-the-year record. So far, the current top contender for rainbow trout of the year honors is a 10-pound, 8.64-ounce fish caught out of Lynx Lake on Feb. 27 by Scot Edgley. Dad might be able to beat that record with the help of these new trout stockings. Be sure to get him a fishing license (if he doesn't have one), a trout stamp and a two-pole stamp. He might even like a new fishing pole.

A lot of these incentive rainbow trout are coming from the "show ponds" at the department's fish hatcheries. This is your chance to catch one of those magnificent show fish.

"This is the leading edge of a more prolonged effort to provide the public a chance to catch some of these super-sized rainbows. We are commencing this effort just before Father's Day and to give everyone a chance to put a big smile on dad's face," says Fisheries Branch Chief Larry Riley.

Every week, the Game and Fish Department will sprinkle some of these 'show fish' in with the routine trout stockings. "We hope to provide the public yet another incentive for getting out and enjoying what is turning into our best high country fishing season in more than a decade," says Fisheries Branch Chief Larry Riley.

Trout fishing conditions in the high country this year are excellent. "Most of our lakes have filled. The streams have been running full. It's a great year to visit the high country," Riley says. "We are even getting more snowmelt to feed the streams and lakes even as we enter mid June. We haven't seen conditions like this in a long, long time."

Hot trout fishing spots include Lower Lake Mary, Ashurst, Big Lake, Dogtown, Woods Canyon, Black Canyon, Bear Canyon and Nelson Reservoir. A fun spot close to Phoenix is the Lower Salt River, which is stocked with rainbow trout.