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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Doyle claims false arrest ... High levels of lead in water shock Medford residents ... Paving between Union Creek and Crater Lake starts Monday ... Doyle claims false arrest ... High levels of lead in water shock Medford residents ... Paving between Union Creek and Crater Lake starts Monday ... SINCE YOU ASKED Since You Asked: Fly-fishers get fresh trout in 'Holy Water' Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Jul. 7, 2016 at 12:01 AM Posted Jul. 7, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News I had a good time in early June fishing the stonefly hatch at the "Holy Water" impoundment beneath Lost Creek dam. The only problem was a distinct lack of fish. It's not that I'm a bad fisherman. The river is usually boiling with rainbow trout attacking the real flies floating on the surface, but not mine. This year, however, not even the real bugs were getting bitten. Can't we get some more trout stocked in there? — J.W., Ashland Well, J.W., seems like several fly-fishers felt the same way about fishing in the so-called "Holy Water" impoundment on the Rogue River between the base of Lost Creek dam and the Cole Rivers Hatchery water intake. This stretch of water is Oregon's first set aside for catch-and-release fly-fishing-only, and enough people apparently mentioned the dearth of trout there to the right people. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist Dan VanDyke asked Cole Rivers Hatchery Manager Dave Pease whether he had a few trout lying around without some other lake or river's name attached to them. Turns out, he found 200 eight-inch legals and another 100 pound-size trout that could go there, provided they get their adipose fin clipped for release. Pease's teenage fly-fishing neighbor, Kevin Bales of Medford, also mentioned the lack of trout to Pease, who said he was waiting for some volunteers to come clip the fish for release. So Bales and fellow fly-flicking buddy Nash O'Hara volunteered, and on June 17 they clipped the trout for release later that day. Under normal circumstances those fish wouldn't have been stocked until this Friday because most trout fin-clipping includes use of a particular fish anesthetic that requires a 21-day waiting period to ensure anyone eating that trout doesn't get sick, Pease says. However, these trout were clipped using new gloves that use electricity to briefly numb the trout for the fin-clipping, thereby making them instantly ready for stocking, Pease says. VanDyke says the fin-clip is needed to ensure that any fish that get flushed from the impoundment and into the Rogue are legal for anglers to keep. ODFW usually stocks about 2,000 fingerlings there annually, but some anglers believe these 3-inch fish contribute more to cormorant growth than the trout fishery. Send questions to “Since You Asked,” Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; by fax to 541-776-4376; or by email to [email protected] . To see a collection of columns, go to mailtribune.com/youasked . We’re sorry, but the volume of questions received prevents us from answering all of them. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Jul. 7, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501