The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) will hold its annual rainbow trout run sampling at Naples Creek in Ontario County on March 19.
Sampling will begin at 9 a.m. at the State Route 245 bridge, about a quarter-mile east of the Route 21 junction in the Village of Naples.
According to DEC Region 8 Director Timothy Walsh, Naples Creek and its tributaries serve as the primary source of naturally produced rainbow trout for Canandaigua Lake and play an important role in managing the region’s fisheries.
Each year, the sampling event draws a large number of spectators. Members of the public are welcome to attend and observe the process, provided they watch safely.
During the sampling, DEC fisheries staff net rainbow trout, record information such as size and condition, and then release the fish back into the creek.
Naples Creek and its tributaries are well known for their spring runs of wild rainbow trout and are a popular destination for anglers. Sampling results are typically released before the April 1 opening of Finger Lakes tributary fishing season, which runs through December 31. The main bodies of the Finger Lakes remain open to fishing year-round.
