WATCH FOR BIG, TAGGED TROUT

East End Beverage owner Ken Lewis releases a big brown trout on the Driftwood Branch of the Sinnemahoning River. The photo at left was taken just before the fish was released. In it you can clearly see the tag in its dorsal fin.

If you are fishing in the Emporium area and hook into a big one, you very well could land more than just a nice trout.

Straub Brewery and East End Beverage have teamed up once again this year in stocking 25 large rainbow and brown trout in local waters. Each of the fish are tagged through the dorsal fin (see photo below) which is redeemable for a case of soda or Straub beer at either business.

Straub's Joe McMackin and East End Beverage owner Ken Lewis buy the fish every year from Lake Clear Creek Hatchery and put them in local streams as a way to promote one of the area's great traditions- fishing.

"The trout are huge this year," McMackin said. "They're all 20 (inches) plus. Gary (Brown, Lake Clear Creek owner) gave us some nice fish. This is probably the best batch we've ever had."

The rules are simple: if you catch one of the tagged trout, take it to East End Beverage in Emporium or Straub Brewery in St. Marys and get your free case of your favorite Straub beer or pop. Anglers who take their fish to the beverage will get their photo taken for the history books.

Last year, just nine of the tags were brought in.

"I don't know what happened, but we didn't even get half the tags," Lewis said. "In years past, we've done a lot better."

While the majority of the fish are right at 20 inches, there are a handful out there two feet long.

The beverage is located on Hemlock St. (behind Emporium Vets Club) in Emporium Borough. Straub Brewery is on Sorg St. in St. Marys. Contact the beverage at 486- 0777 for more information.