Rainbow trout released into Lake Canobolas, Orange

Minister NSW Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty was joined by Member for Orange Phil Donato and members of the Orange Trout Acclimatisation Society for the release on Friday.

Of the new fish, 50 adult rainbow trout and up to 150 smaller sub-adult fish entered the water at Lake Canobolas.

Fish sizes varied from 80 centimetres down to about 20cm.

Ms Moriarty was charged with releasing the biggest of the new school into the lake, and its entry to what would have been freezing water on a day that reached a top of 9.5 degrees was nothing short of splashing.

"Recreational fishing is a terrific activity for everyone from children to adults, men and women of all ages and abilities and with the warmer weather approaching will be a popular activity," Mr Donato said in a statement.

"Fishing as a recreational pastime is enjoyed by hundreds of thousands, if not millions of people in Australia every year and is a major draw card for eco-tourism.

"Fishing licence fees go back into restocking programs for a sustainable healthy fish population."

The Orange Trout Acclimatisation Society is one of the oldest in the state, and a large contingent of its members were on hand to watch the release take place.

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