Thursday, Nov. 20, 2008

Splish, splash in the Saluda

Hundreds of young trout — raised at the Walhalla State Fish Hatchery in Oconee County — make a splashing entry Wednesday into their new home: the Saluda River near Columbia. A special lift bucket, hoisted by helicopter, allows staffers with the S.C. Department of Natural Resources place the brown and rainbow trout strategically and avoid crowding them into any particular location. Thousands of the fish from the Upstate were placed in the river. Anglers are urged to follow a catch-and-release policy until summertime, when the fish have grown to a larger size.

— Erik Campos/ecampos@thestate.com