COUNTYWIDE : County Lakes to Be Stocked With Catfish

Attention, anglers: The catfish population in county regional park lakes is about to increase as thousands of pounds of the whiskered, fresh-water fish are released.

The annual stocking will begin Wednesday with catfish that are large enough to catch and keep, according to Mike Brajdic, supervisor of the program for the county Harbors, Beaches and Parks Department.

“We’ve purchased fish that are anywhere from three to five pounds. At that size, they’re too big for predatory birds to eat,” he said.

The fish are being transported from a Central California hatchery.

Each lake will receive approximately 700 pounds of the fish, according to Brajdic.

Lakes will be stocked in Irvine Regional Park, Mile Square Regional Park in Fountain Valley and Clark Regional Park in Buena Park.

Other lakes to be stocked include those in Yorba Regional Park in Yorba Linda, Laguna Niguel Regional Park, Ted Craig Regional Park in Fullerton and Carbon Canyon Regional Park in Brea.

The public is permitted to fish during regular county park hours, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

A fishing license is required.