thank you cecil.
it definitely had trophy genetics, i almost didnt harvest the fish, but figured someone else would catch it so it might as well be me. we figured it might be a fairly recent brood stock plant. its tail fin appeared snipped or damaged like it had been in a pen, and its flesh was not nearly as red as the other fish. perhaps the hatchery releases a small number of broodstock from time to time as they replace them, and i was lucky to hook one.
i have never fished clear lake but i can tell you its a famous lmb/panfish fishery. i dont think there are any trout to speak of in the lake. actually the state rainbow record came out of lake natoma which is near sacramento, IIRC, it was around 27 pounds.....
