Weather

Local News

   ___________
 

___________
 
AD RATES
___________
 

National News

One doesn't often think of driving up to the McKenzie City Park and dropping a lure.

But that's possible now, thanks to a surplus of the game fish at Flintville Hatchery, located in Lincoln County, the McKenzie Park pond is stocked with 1,000 rainbows.

"McKenzie was one of three ponds chosen in the state for these surplus fish," said TWRA education coordinator Lance Rider. "This will give people an opportunity to catch trout that they ordinarily wouldn't have."

The pond was stocked Thursday afternoon under the supervision of the McKenzie City Parks and Recreation, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and the McKenzie Police Department.

To fish for the trout in the McKenzie pond, anglers must be properly licensed and signs around the pond alert fishermen to that fact. Fishermen aged 16 to 65 must have a sportsman's license (Type 04) or an annual hunting and fishing license (Type 01), plus an annual trout license (Type 22). The creel limit is seven trout per day.

"The trout regulations apply here and the signs are posted," said Rider. "The fish are each approximately nine to 12 inches long."

City Parks Director Ricky French was pleased with the acquisition of the fish.

"I'm tickled to death about all of this," he said. "We also have largemouth bass, bluegill and catfish in here."

French said the BASS club stocks the pond with the largemouths.
"The other fish went to Germantown and Memphis, so this is special," Rider said. "We talked to Ricky and the city and we got this done. It's sort of a Christmas bonus."

Kenneth Cox and Clint Borum of the TWRA's Humboldt hatchery helped release the fish. Almost all of them seemed to thrive in the pond, though two or three had a slow start.

Trout have been introduced in area streams, particularly in Humphreys and Perry County, but the closest place to fish for naturally occurring rainbow trout is in the Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee.

The Hilltoppers defeated McNeese State (La.) 34-14 in the Division 1-AA championship at Chattanooga last Friday and part of the winning puzzle for WKU is former McKenzie standout Shannon Hayes.

Hayes, a 6-0, 185 lb. wide receiver, has been a starter the past two years for WKU. He caught 19 passes for 221 yards this year and has three carries for 35 yards. In the title game, Hayes had one catch for 20 yards.

Hayes had two grabs for 57 yards in the semifinal thriller at Georgia Southern. WKU won that game over the perennially powerful Eagles 31-28.

Last year, Hayes played in all 12 games, including seven starts as sophomore and had six catches for 109 yards. He caught at TD pass against Kentucky State last year (a 53-yarder) and recovered a fumble for a touchdown against these same McNeese State Cowboys.

As a true freshman, Hayes played in 10 games, including the final nine. He had three catches for 37 yards and two carries for 17.

Hayes was an All-West Tennessee selection and an all-region performer for the Rebel team that advanced to the second round of the state playoffs in 1999. He had 16 catches - seven for touchdowns - and 387. As a junior, he had 851 yards in receptions and 11 TDs. He had 11 catches for 144 yards in one game, his best prep outing. He also was an all-district baseball player.

Hayes is the son of Terry and Connie Hayes. And is a civil engineering major.

Oddly enough, Western Kentucky played McNeese State earlier in the season on Sept. 28 and suffered a 38-18 setback.

Advertisements