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In his bamboo fishing rod shop Friday, Chris Raine leaned forward in his chair and extended his arms. Cupping his hands, as if supporting an imaginary object between them, he said reverently, “This is a 25-inch trout.”
Raine envisions stocking the Upper Sacramento River with fish in this size range, known as “supercatchables,” to reinvigorate Dunsmuir's status as a Blue Ribbon trout town. As councilor during the regular city council meeting held Thursday, June 16, he led the discussion to approve an expenditure of up to $4,500 to implement the Dunsmuir big fish program, which passed by an anonymous roll call vote of 5-0.
During discussion, Mayor Nick Mitchell, along with council members Arlis Steele and Diane Dolf, joined Raine to promote the measure. Councilor Ed Steele initially expressed concern about pushing something like this without a marketing plan, but testimony from fellow council members and enthusiastic support from the audience soon put a smile on his face.
Said Mitchell, “Every week we're going to see a picture of some kid holding a fish wider than he is. It'll be in the newspaper. It'll get on the internet.”
The plan calls for a weekly stocking. City manager Jim Lindley said, “We'll be putting the type of fish Fish & Game wants in the river, and where they want them in the river.”
Arlis Steele recalled when the river was so crowded with anglers, it was difficult to find an open spot onshore.
“We're trying to bring the fishermen back,” he pleaded to the audience. “Please help us with this.”
Mike Lucia stood and stated, “Fishing has brought more people into town than anything else.”
Several other members of the audience offered forecasts of word of the new fishing opportunities in Dunsmuir spreading rapidly through the international fishing community. Raine said that he would target the advertising to publications pursued by this breed of outdoors enthusiast.
In his shop three weeks later, Raine emphasized, “When you catch a 25-inch fish, it's a big deal.”
He revealed that Dunsmuir lost its public fishing allure a couple of years ago, when a Fish & Game was sued for unforeseen environmental impact during a fish stocking operation in the Sierras. “The fish were eating yellow-legged frogs,” said Raine. “The suit said, ‘You have not addressed this issue.’”
He explained that during litigation Fish & Game has stopped all stocking operations, including routine restocking of the Upper Sacramento River. “We missed the last two fishing seasons,” said Raine. “They resumed stocking in August last year, but missed the season.”
In his bamboo fishing rod shop Friday, Chris Raine leaned forward in his chair and extended his arms. Cupping his hands, as if supporting an imaginary object between them, he said reverently, “This is a 25-inch trout.”
Raine envisions stocking the Upper Sacramento River with fish in this size range, known as “supercatchables,” to reinvigorate Dunsmuir's status as a Blue Ribbon trout town. As councilor during the regular city council meeting held Thursday, June 16, he led the discussion to approve an expenditure of up to $4,500 to implement the Dunsmuir big fish program, which passed by an anonymous roll call vote of 5-0.
During discussion, Mayor Nick Mitchell, along with council members Arlis Steele and Diane Dolf, joined Raine to promote the measure. Councilor Ed Steele initially expressed concern about pushing something like this without a marketing plan, but testimony from fellow council members and enthusiastic support from the audience soon put a smile on his face.
Said Mitchell, “Every week we're going to see a picture of some kid holding a fish wider than he is. It'll be in the newspaper. It'll get on the internet.”
The plan calls for a weekly stocking. City manager Jim Lindley said, “We'll be putting the type of fish Fish & Game wants in the river, and where they want them in the river.”
Arlis Steele recalled when the river was so crowded with anglers, it was difficult to find an open spot onshore.
“We're trying to bring the fishermen back,” he pleaded to the audience. “Please help us with this.”
Mike Lucia stood and stated, “Fishing has brought more people into town than anything else.”
Several other members of the audience offered forecasts of word of the new fishing opportunities in Dunsmuir spreading rapidly through the international fishing community. Raine said that he would target the advertising to publications pursued by this breed of outdoors enthusiast.
In his shop three weeks later, Raine emphasized, “When you catch a 25-inch fish, it's a big deal.”
He revealed that Dunsmuir lost its public fishing allure a couple of years ago, when a Fish & Game was sued for unforeseen environmental impact during a fish stocking operation in the Sierras. “The fish were eating yellow-legged frogs,” said Raine. “The suit said, ‘You have not addressed this issue.’”
He explained that during litigation Fish & Game has stopped all stocking operations, including routine restocking of the Upper Sacramento River. “We missed the last two fishing seasons,” said Raine. “They resumed stocking in August last year, but missed the season.”
He expressed concern that during that lapse fishers may have found another place to frequent, and may see no reason to return to Dunsmuir. He sees the big fish program as a way to bring them back.
“The average fisherman dreams of a stringer of five fish, and the one that got away,” Raine said. “Give them a rare thrill, the feeling of hooking onto a '53 Buick while the Buick's driving away. There's something very special about that.”
He stated that this will attract a lot of interest from the media.
“We're going to see a lot more people in town looking for the opportunity to catch the fish of a lifetime,” he mused.
The proposed stocking was slated to begin June 12, but high and fast waters delayed implementation. Now that the river is calming down, anglers are appearing in town, and the city wants to begin putting the big fish in as soon as possible.
