"Trout Fever": In Karelia, opportunists are rushing to catch 44 tons of red fish that escaped from a local farm.

A genuine "trout fever" has erupted in Karelia. Just a few days ago, 44 tons of trout escaped from a fish farm in the Bay of Rautalahti, located in the Sortavala district. Initially, throngs of local fishermen rushed to catch the escapees, and as the news spread on social media, anglers seeking "freebies" from Leningrad Oblast and St. Petersburg also flocked to the area.

- We caught a lot. Mainly, they bite on boilies and vibro baits (tested). It's just fantastic, - satisfied fishermen share their impressions in the VK group "Overheard in Sortavala."

According to a video sent by one of the fishermen to "KP-Petersburg," there was hardly any space on the ice for fishing rods – hundreds of freebie-seekers stood shoulder to shoulder, and there were long lines of cars approaching the site. The valuable escapees are being taken away in bags. However, not everyone is as lucky. Some reportedly "hauled away an entire ton," while others managed just a couple of fish.

- I only caught two, I don't need much, - shared fisherman Nikita with us. - Others were using nets there.

Interestingly, the man mentioned that he hadn't even tried the caught trout – he salted it and sent it to the freezer. Meanwhile, in the VK group "Fishing in St. Petersburg, Leningrad Oblast, and Northwestern Russia," they note that "there's chaos in Rautalahti."

- So much negativity is written about this stocked trout, but when it escaped, people are ready to drown for free fish. They say the truth: for free, even vinegar tastes sweet.

Speaking of drowning, it's worth noting that the ice in those parts is currently very thin. In some places, water is already showing through. Yet, the "immortal freebie-seekers," as they're called in the comments, keep going after the catch. By the way, a kilogram of such trout costs about a thousand rubles.

As of now, it is known that the trout escaped from the farm on the night of January 30. Someone damaged three cages at the farm, and 44 tons of valuable red fish ended up in the lake. According to some reports, the damage is estimated at 30 million rubles. Interestingly, a similar incident occurred last year. In the village of Cheremukhino, located in the Priozersk district, 300 tons of trout escaped. Crowds of fishermen rushed there as well. It almost led to fights, and the police had to intervene.

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