In total 750 fish, 500 brook trout and 250 brown trout, were released into the Town Pond April 18 by Lake Huron Fishing Club volunteers.

Hub Staff

Over 700 fish from the Chatsworth Fish Culture Station were released into the Town Pond beside the Lake Huron Fishing Club's (LHFC) Chinook Hatchery on Upper Avenue April 18.

Trout fishing season begins on April 27 and continues to September 30 and the releasing of 500 brook trout and 250 brown trout into the Town Pond is part of an annual Spring stocking program by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources.

The aim of the Town Pond is to provide youth under the age of 16 with an opportunity to get outside and fish.

“The important thing to know... is that these are fish that we don't want them to stay here,” said Craig Todd, Partnership Specialist with the Ministry. “You'll see locations that we put them, there's a dam or there's an obstruction at the end so these can't leave and intermingle with native fish,” he said.

“These are what we call put and take fish. We put them in, you take them out. They're not here to reproduce,” said Todd, explaining that the genetics also make the fish easier to catch. “What the province is trying to do is encourage people to fish,” he said.

“The intent is that young kids can come with their dad or their mom and they can catch a fish relatively easily and catch the bug for fishing and then grow up wanting to go fishing as opposed to playing video games or something else,” said LHFC Director Dave Myette.

The Town Pond also features 25 cent feeding machines that provide people with an opportunity to interact with the fish in other ways. “It's pretty neat...to throw the food out and see the fish grab it,” said Myette.

“[The feeding machines are] for people who don't fish,” he said. “There's lots of people these days who don't believe in killing something,” he said.

LHFC President Kelly Mullen said in the summertime there are always families with children at the Town Pond. “It's a catch and release or a take home,” he said, adding there is a limit of two fish per day.

Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Partnership Specialist Craig Todd spoke to fishing club volunteers about safety in transporting the fish from the truck to the pond.

Using nets, fishing club volunteers quickly transported the trout from tanks to the Town Pond.

Mother Sam Martin (left) with children Mason and Adyson, along with the Brown family, from left, Connor, Ryan, Lachlin and Teresa were two families enjoying the activity at the Town Pond April 18.

Fish food is available at the pond for 25 cents, giving visitors who aren't there to fish an opportunity to feed and take a closer look at the fish.

From left, Lake Huron Fishing Club President Kelly Mullen, Director Dave Myette and Vice-President Mike Hahn received a cheque for $5,000 from Ontario Power Generation (OPG) April 18, an annual donation that helps support the costs of the hatchery. OPG is the main supporter of the club.