Echo Park : Echo Park Lake Gets Trout

Echo Park Lake was stocked with hundreds of rainbow trout last week as part of a California Department of Fish and Game program to provide trout fishing opportunities to city dwellers.

Echo Park, one of five urban lakes in the program, received about 400 pounds of trout (between 700 to 800 half-pound fish) from the Fillmore Hatchery in Ventura County, according to hatchery manager Jim Adams.

He said that this is the first time the lake has been planted with fish in six years.

The urban lakes program is aimed at youngsters and senior citizens who find it more difficult to travel to other Fish and Game-stocked waters, such as Crystal Lake in the Angeles National Forest or one of the forks of the San Gabriel River.

Fishing licenses are required for anglers 16 years or older.