Trout fishing closed in many places last month, even in most of the Eastern Sierra, but it will just be getting started on January 1st at Topaz Lodge overlooking Topaz Lake on the California/Nevada border below Reno.

That's when their Trout Derby starts when fish like those shown below can be caught that bear tags worth up to $1000. There may also be some kind of grand prize, a small boat perhaps, to be given away when the Derby ends on April 15. In addition, Cabela's in Reno and Hendrick's Bait and Tackle in Fallon, NV are providing additional prizes for the winners.

Topaz Lodge and Casino is a destination with all the amenities a visitor could want plus gorgeous views of the gem-like lake below and the often snow draped eastern slopes of the Sierra that surround the place.

While the Derby ends in April the trout fishing season remains open at Topaz Lake until September 1st so the Lodge is ideal location for winter, spring and summer visits or special events such as dinners, reunions, receptions and so forth. There is a gas station at the Lodge, a general store and fishing docks and launch ramp are nearby. It's also a great place to stop and rest for the night on your way to or from other parts of the two states.

What you see here is what awaits you at this jewel of a lake. Of course, there is also lots of a great food, pleasant dining experiences, slot play, table games and comfortable lodging for those who want to relax in other ways. All photos courtesy Topaz Lodge.

Seven hundred and fifty pounds of hard-fighting rainbow trout were planted in Topaz Lake on December 12. A number of fish in the 10-pound category were planted along with many going three to seven pounds, according the Topaz Lodge and Casino Manager, Rick Ross.

"The average fish we planted was about four pounds," according to Diane Furtado, manager of the Topaz Lake General Store. Sometimes not all the tagged fish are caught. But if an angler catches a fish tagged in a prior year, it is honored by the Lodge. In addition to tagged fish and other prizes, the person catching the largest fish each week picks up another $50 reward. Other cash prizes, including slot play, are given away, too.

Lots of tags, including a tantalizingly large number of high value tags, were attached to the fish, according to Furtado, who witnessed the entire operation. "I can't say how many but it was a lot and we didn't put all the high value tags in the very largest fish. We spread them out so that any angler could get lucky and win a big prize."

She noted that sometimes the largest fish but those are also the hardest to catch and sometimes people forget to set their drags loose enough and so it's easier for the big fish to break free.

Topaz Lake has produced a great many trophy sized-fish. Many of these are mounted beautifully and on display in the Lodge. They can also be seen by visiting one of the Lodge's websites.

Rick Ross, Manager of the Topaz Casino and Lodge was personally involved with the tagging and release of the trout as well as Furtado and hatchery owners and workers.

This planting is in addition to 75,000 rainbows planted here each year in a cooperative effort between the Nevada and California Departments of Fish and Game. Of course, many of these fish survive to become large fish, which adds to the possibility of an angler catching a trophy-sized trout.

The process of netting the fish from a private trout rearing firm, tagging them, transporting them and releasing them took about three hours, Furtado said, "but it was a lot of fun, one of the most interesting experiences of my life. I love to fish but I've never been involved in this process before so it was very educational as well and very exciting."

The following series of photos depict the process of planting the fish. MyOutdoorBuddy would like to thank Furtado and Ross for sharing these with us before any other media got them.

First the fish must be netted carefully from the rearing ponds.

Then the trout are placed in sinks such as this where a capsule added to the water puts them to "sleep" for a very short while.

During their sleep mode, the tags are applied, sometimes through the dorsal fin and sometimes in the flesh just below.

Furtado is shown here holding a fish that was about to be tagged with a $1000 marker. "It wasn't the biggest, just one of the nice sized ones," she said.

Inserting the tag is a tricky process. The eyes of the fish must be covered and the fish must be subdued slightly so the tagger can do his work without harming the fish.

Nets full of the trout are then transferred to holding tanks in the transportation vehicle. Note the green tag showing clearly in the net of fish.

Once the truck arrives at the lake's Douglas County Ramp, the fish are netted and tossed into the lake.

This is one of the most enjoyable parts of the process, according to Furtado. Note the gorgeous views of the mountains.

Net after net of fish were thrown into the lake. Capturing the images at just the right moment with a digital camera took some skill and patience.

By the time the fish hit the water of the lake they are well on their way to full recovery and quickly swim away.

These whoppers make a big splash when they hit they water. They'll splash some water on you, too, if you are able to bring one to the boat or the shore. Anglers travel from all over to take a chance on winning some very the many cash prizes the Lodge awards.