If you've ever caught one, you remember what it was like. Instantly, as your rod tip was yanked downward, you knew that this fish was much bigger than average size. You were hooked to an honest-to-God, heartbeat raising, adrenalin-rushing lunker.

Thanks to the Lehigh River Stocking Association (www.lrsa.org), you have a better-than-average chance to catch one. The LRSA is hosting its annual Lunkerfest Saturday May 21. Registration begins at 7 a.m., fishing begins at 8:30 a.m. and ends at 3 p.m.This year the LRSA is extending its stocking area, which will extend nearly a mile along the Lehigh River from its confluence with Lizard Creek to the first island below the East Penn Boat Ramp. Registration will be at the East Penn Boat Ramp."We started Lunkerfest with two main goals in mind," said Steve Chukra, club secretary. "First, we wanted to bring attention to stocking efforts on the Lehigh River; and second, we wanted to give local people a chance to catch a trophy trout."On the morning of Lunkerfest, organizers will stock 500 trout ranging from 14 to 28 inches long. One hundred of those trout will be tagged for special prizes. The prizes will be awarded during the day and also through May.The cost for LRSA members is $20; nonmembers pay $25. Participants can purchase an LRSA membership ($25) at Lunkerfest, and there will also be food and beverages, as well as bait for sale. LRSA members will also run a 50-50 and several raffles to help raise money. There will also be a special fishing pool for children under 12 years old, and that is free for the youth."Last year we made about $2,000 and all that money went toward our stocking program," Chukra said. "Each year LRSA stocks about $25,000 worth of rainbow and brown trout."Fundraising is a "continuous" effort, Chukra said. Since 1991, the club has released more than 500,000 trout. The club membership is 675 but recently via the LRSA Facebook page, about 1,700 people "liked" stocking pictures that were posted.""It makes me wish that all of those people that liked the stocking pictures would join LRSA," Chukra said. "That would mean so much to us and really help our efforts."The LRSA stocks the Lehigh River for 28 miles between Glen Onoko State Park and Northampton, but efforts include more than stocking trout. During the past year, with the support of the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission, the LRSA started a trout co-op program at the home of one of its board members, Tom Gyory. This year they raised about 1,000 trout there.Also, in cooperation with Trout Unlimited, The Sierra Club and Pennsylvania Wildlands Conservancy, the LRSA is working to improve water quality on the Lehigh River and its tributaries.Club President is Matt MacConnell, vice-president is Vince Spaits, and board members include Gyory, Carl Imdorf, Jim Deeble, Chuck Morganstern and Gary Klein.