Saturday, September 3, 2011 - A crowd of approximately 400 folks gathered at the Eagle Lake RV Park & Store in the community of Spalding to celebrate the California Inland Fisheries Foundation/Project Eagle Lake Trout Third Annual Family Fun Fall Fundraising Festival. The weather was perfect, early morning fishing was great and local folks, visitors and CIFFI/PELT volunteers came to enjoy the festivities. The horseshoe tournaments and casting contests were exciting and had plenty of participants, professional guides were on hand with their boats to answer fish-catching questions and the BBQ plus fixings was excellent. An outstanding raffle, raising money to enhance the fishing experience and safety at the lake was well received. The free kids raffle had 45 participants and every youngster went home with a prize.
This event was the last of the two fundraisers held annually at Eagle Lake – one on the July 4th Saturday and the other the Labor Day Saturday. Monies raised enable PELT, directed by the community “Steering Committee” to support the Dept. of Fish & Game efforts to keep this “Heritage Lake” a viable and productive fishery. CIFFI, a 501 C3 foundation, provides administrative support. Eagle Lake trout are spawned at the egg-taking station at Pine Creek and PELT supplies the food to keep them in captivity longer, creating bigger and hardier fish at planting times in the spring and fall. PELT equips volunteers with equipment and accessories used in fish rescue efforts, egg taking activities and other fish related needs. PELT also provides and maintains safety buoys for the lake and works with both DFG and the Sheriff’s Dept. to provide needed equipment. CIFFI supports many youth programs and the two PELT events introduced well over 150 young people to the Eagle Lake experience and the family tradition of attending the annual fundraisers, ensuring PELT efforts will continue into the future.
CIFFI/PELT thanks those who participated in the events. Put July 4th and Labor Day weekends on your calendar for 2012 – your presence will be appreciated and your efforts go to a very worthy cause. It is important to everyone to continue to support and maintain the fishery at Eagle Lake.
