! NATIVE'TROUT'WATERS' OF'CALIFORNIA'
MICHAEL!CARL! Copyright!©!2018!Michael!Carl! ' ! ' NATIVE'TROUT'WATERS' ' OF' ' CALIFORNIA' '
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! MICHAEL!CARL !
Table'of'Contents'
INTRODUCTION! 6!
ABOUT!THE!BOOK! 6!
CLAVEY RIVER! 7!
BACKGROUND! 8! TROUT!POPULATION!DATA! 8! STREAM!POPULATIONS,!REGULATIONS,!AND!ACCESS! 9! DIRECTIONS!TO!REACH!SEGMENT!3!AND!4!(E.G.,!BRIDGE!CROSSING!CLAVEY!RIVER):! 9! HULL!CREEK!CAMPGROUND!TO!CLAVEY!RIVER!–!TOPO!MAP! 10! CLAVEY!RIVER!FLOW!STATISTICS! 11! FISHING!TECHNIQUES! 11!
EAGLE LAKE! 12!
BACKGROUND! 13! BIG!TROUT!FOOD!–!!TUI!CHUBS! 13! REGULATIONS!AND!ACCESS! 13! DIRECTIONS!TO!EAGLE!LAKE!FROM!RED!BLUFF,!CALIFORNIA:! 13! AREA!MAP! 14! PRODUCTIVE!TIMES!AND!ZONES!TO!FISH! 15! FISHING!TECHNIQUES! 15! SPALDING!TRACT!–!TOPO!MAP! 16! PIKES!POINT!–!TOPO!MAP! 17!
GOLDEN TROUT CREEK! 18!
OVERVIEW!OF!THE!WATERSHED! 19! ABUNDANCE!OF!CALIFORNIA!GOLDEN!TROUT! 19! CALIFORNIA!GOLDEN!TROUT!GENETIC!DATA! 19! STREAM!POPULATIONS,!REGULATIONS,!AND!ACCESS! 20! DIRECTIONS!TO!COTTONWOOD!PASS!TRAILHEAD! 20! AREA!MAP! 21! PHOTO!JOURNAL!–!COTTONWOOD!PASS!TO!TUNNEL!MEADOW! 22! FISHING!TECHNIQUES! 25!
HEENAN LAKE! 26!
BACKGROUND! 27! FLY ANGLER STATISTICS – 2007 SEASON (8/3/07 TO 10/28/07)! 28! REGULATIONS AND ACCESS! 29! AREA!MAP! 29! DIRECTIONS! 29! PRODUCTIVE!ZONES!TO!FISH! 30! FISHING!TECHNIQUES! 30!
LITTLE KERN RIVER! 31!
OVERVIEW!OF!THE!WATERSHED! 32! DISTRIBUTION!AND!CURRENT!STATUS! 32! STREAM!POPULATIONS,!REGULATIONS!AND!LOCATIONS! 33! AREA!MAP! 35! SPOTLIGHT!–UPPER!CLICKS!CREEK! 35! MAP!–!FOREST!ROAD!21S50!TO!CLICKS!CREEK!TRAIL! 36! DIRECTIONS!AND!TRAIL!DESCRIPTION! 37! RECOMMENDED!FISHING!GEAR! 37! FLY!PATTERNS:! 37!
SOUTH FORK SMITH RIVER! 38!
OVERVIEW!OF!THE!WATERSHED! 39! HERITAGE!AND!WILD!TROUT!WATERS!–!SOUTH!FORK!SMITH!RIVER! 39! COASTAL!CUTTHROAT!TROUT! 40! AREA!MAP! 41! WHEN!TO!FISH! 42! FISHING!GEAR!AND!TECHNIQUES! 42!
UPPER KERN RIVER! 43!
BACKGROUND! 44! KERN!RIVER!RAINBOWS! 44! DISTRIBUTION!OF!KERN!RIVER!RAINBOWS! 44! STREAM!POPULATIONS,!REGULATIONS!AND!ACCESS! 45! MAP!–!LLOYD!MEADOW!ROAD!TO!FORKS!OF!THE!KERN! 46! SPOTLIGHT!–!FORKS!OF!THE!KERN! 47! DIRECTIONS!AND!TRAIL!DESCRIPTION! 47! RECOMMENDED!FISHING!GEAR! 47!
UPPER TRUCKEE RIVER! 49!
OVERVIEW!OF!THE!WATERSHED! 50! ABUNDANCE AND SIZE OF LAHONTAN CUTTHROAT! 51! STREAM POPULATIONS, REGULATIONS, ACCESS & DISTANCE! 51! DIRECTIONS!TO!REACH!TRAILHEAD:! 52! AREA!MAP! 53! TRAIL!DESCRIPTION! 54! FISHING!TECHNIQUES! 54! !
! Introduction! The!Native!Trout!Waters!of!California!details!the!state’s!most!scenic,!diverse,!and!significant!native!trout! fisheries.!!In!fact,!the!California!Fish!and!Game!Commission!designated!these!fisheries!as!California) Heritage)Trout)waters.!!The!book!details!the!following!waters:!
• Clavey!River! • Eagle!Lake! • Golden!Trout!Creek! • Heenan!Lake! • Little!Kern!River! • South!Fork!Smith!River! • Upper!Kern!River! • Upper!Truckee!River!
The!key!ingredient!to!the!state’s!designation!and!my!motivation!for!writing!this!book!is!of!course!the! unique!species!of!trout!residing!in!each!of!the!above!places.!!Each!of!these!lakes!or!streams!holds!only! indigenous!strains!of!native!trout.!!The!various!native!trout!are:!
• Coastal!rainbow!trout! ! (Clavey!River)! • Eagle!Lake!rainbow!trout! (Eagle!Lake)! • California!golden!trout! ! (Golden!Trout!Creek)! • Lahontan!cutthroat!trout! (Heenan!Lake!&!Upper!Truckee!River)! • Little!Kern!golden!trout! ! (Little!Kern!River)! • Coastal!cutthroat!trout! ! (South!Fork!Smith!River)! • Kern!River!rainbow!trout! (Upper!Kern!River)!
California!is!home!to!11!unique!kinds!of!native!trout,!and!you’ll!find!descriptions!for!seven!of!these! native!trout!in!the!pages!that!follow.!Whether!your!goal!is!completing!the!California!Heritage!Trout! Challenge,!or!just!finding!some!of!the!state’s!most!scenic!stretches!of!water!to!wet!a!line,!!The!Native! Trout!Waters!of!California!will!help!you!reach!your!goal.!
About'the'Book' The!book’s!chapters!describe!each!of!the!waters!listed!above.!!Some!chapters!contain!extra!material! such!as!Angling!Statistics,!Photographic!Journals!or!Trail!Maps.!!Each!chapter!includes:!
• Background!–!an!overview!of!the!watershed!and!its!significance! • Description!of!Native!Trout! • Stream!Population! • Regulations! • Access! • Area!Map! • Directions!and!Trail!Description! • Fishing!Techniques! !
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CLAVEY RIVER ! !
“The%Clavey%River%may%be%the%only%‘rainbow%trout’%river%left,%in% the%Sierra%Nevada,%with%its%original%fish%assemblage%still%intact% and%relatively%unaffected%by%introduced%species.”%%%
00)Clavey!River:!Wild!and!Scenic!River!Value!Review!(December!1997)!
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Background' The!Clavey!River!represents!one!of!the!first!streams!in!California!to!be!designated!as!a!Wild)Trout) Stream!by!California’s!Department!of!Fish!and!Game!in!1972.!!!By!definition,!wild!trout!streams!are! purely!selfbsustaining!trout!fisheries!and!are!not!supplemented!by!stocking!of!hatchery!fish.!!Evidence! supports!that!nearly!the!entire!Clavey!River!basin!contains!only!native!rainbows.!!!These!native!rainbows! inhabit!the!length!of!the!Clavey!and!its!tributaries!which!are!capable!of!supporting!cold!water!fish.!
Besides!forward!looking!fisheries!management!on!this!river,!the!complete!lack!of!dams!and!diversions! has!been!a!key!factor!in!maintaining!the!native!fish!assemblage.!
Trout'Population'Data' Rainbow!trout!population!sampling!data!is!broken!up!over!the!following!segments!of!the!Wild!and! Scenic!stretch!as:!
Segment!3! b!Clavey!River!from!Bell!&!Lily!Creek!to!Road!3N01!(!5!mi.)!
Segment!4! b!Clavey!River!from!Road!3N01!to!Cottonwood!Road!(!8!mi.!)!
Segment!5! b!Clavey!River!from!Cottonwood!Road!to!Tuolumne!River!(16!mi.)!
Surveys!found!only!rainbow!trout!in!the!upstream!Segments!3!and!4.!!Expanded!population!estimates! have!ranged!from!about!2,000!to!over!5,000!trout!per!mile.!!The!samples!from!these!areas!have!been! comprised!of!mostly!smaller!trout.!!Rainbow!trout!over!six!inches!in!length!are!usually!about!10!to!15! percent!of!the!total!captured.!!The!habitats!sampled!in!the!index!stations!are!largely!shallow!riffle,!run,! and!boulderbpocket!water.!!Deep!pools!have!not!been!evaluated!in!this!sampling.!!It!is!likely!that!larger! trout!are!concentrated!in!the!deeper!habitats!found!in!the!more!remote,!lower!and!middle!parts!of!the! river!(Segments!4!–!5).!!The!population!data!is!presented!in!detail!below!along!with!fishing!regulations! and!access!points.! Stream'Populations,'Regulations,'and'Access' Stream!Segment! Trout!per!Mile! Trout!per!Mile! Fishing! Access! Larger!than! Regulations! 150mm!
Segment!3! 2177! 428! last!Saturday!in! Forest!Service! April!to!midb Road!3N01!to! November! Clavey!River! Bridge.!!(Note:) road)access) subject)to)winter) closure.)!
Segment!4! 4327! 524! last!Saturday!in! Forest!Service! April!to!midb Road!3N01!to! November! Clavey!River! Bridge.!!(Note:) road)access) subject)to)winter) closure.)!
Segment!5! 1512! 283! last!Saturday!in! Cottonwood!Road! April!to!midb to!Clavey!River.! November!
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Directions'to'reach'Segment'3'and'4'(e.g.,'bridge'crossing'Clavey'River):''' 1. From Mi-Wuk, California, take State Route 108 east 3.6 miles to Long Barn and follow 108 Business signs. !
2. Turn right after signs onto Long Barn Rd and go 1.2 miles to Merrill Springs Rd. !
3. Turn right, onto Merrill Springs Rd (Forest Route 31 or Road 3N01) !
4. For overnight stays consider camping at Hull Creek Campground. From Long Barn Rd go 10 miles to campground on left. (Note: The campground stretches along the seasonal Hull Creek through Douglas fir and other conifers. The campground is crisscrossed by ATV tracks giving evidence of this campground's OHV/ATV popularity.)!
5. Otherwise proceed past Hull Creek Campground for several more miles until you reach the bridge crossing the Clavey.! ! Hull'Creek'Campground'to'Clavey'River'–'Topo'Map' !
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Hull Creek, CA USGS 7.5' Map Series 3
! 2 32 120° 3' 2 33 Strawberry, CA 2 35 120° 1' W 2 36 000 mE
! 38° 7' N 7' 38° N 7' 38° 000 mN 000 22 000 mN 000 42 22 42 38° 6' 38° Cherry Lake North, CA North, Lake Cherry
2 20 42 38° 5' 38° 5' 38° 19 42 18 42 18 42 38° 4' 38° 4' 38° 17 42
2 32 120° 3' 2 33 5 2 35 120° 1' W 2 36 000 mE 0 .5 1 0 1000 2000 4000 5000 1 .5 0 KILOMETERS 1
NAD83/WGS84 UTM Zone 10 MILES FEET 1000 0 METERS 1000 © 2016 National Geographic Partners. Please refer to index map on page 1 for more details. User assumes all risk associated with the use of this map. !
Clavey'River'Flow'Statistics' Statistics!of!monthly!flow!discharge!(CFS)!for!water!years!1987!to!1994!on!the!Clavey!River!near!Long! Barn,!California.!
! Oct! Nov! Dec! Jan! Feb! Mar! Apr! May! Jun! Jul! Aug! Sep!
Mean! 7.47! 9.20! 12.1! 30.9! 42.7! 158! 243! 201! 71.9! 15.9! 1.92! 1.53!
Max! 44.9! 21.8! 25.7! 133! 93! 331! 392! 414! 216! 61.0! 5.50! 7.70!
Year! 1990! 1990! 1988! 1993! 1993! 1989! 1993! 1993! 1993! 1993! 1993! 1989!
Min! 0.11! 1.04! 1.47! 2.68! 4.95! 67.7! 151! 97.4! 15.0! 2.12! 0.30! 0.11!
Year! 1989! 1991! 1987! 1991! 1991! 1987! 1988! 1992! 1992! 1987! 1987! 1988!
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Based!on!historic!flows!over!this!period,!the!optimal!time!to!fish!the!Clavey!River!would!be!midbJune! through!July.!!The!critical!factors!in!this!recommendation!are!(1)!access!to!the!river,!and!(2)!water! temperatures.!!The!upper!Clavey!at!flows!below!100!cfs!will!permit!the!angler!the!greatest!access!since! the!watershed!is!difficult!to!fish!without!the!ability!to!wade!and!cross!the!river!at!multiple!points.!!!If!the! flows!are!up,!then!your!wading!access!along!the!river!might!be!limited.!!The!Clavey!should!be!fishable! even!at!higher!flows,!but!you!will!need!to!carefully!pick!your!spots!and!use!caution!when!wading.!
The!other!factor!to!consider!is!water!temp.!!As!flows!drop!in!July,!the!water!temp!will!begin!to!climb! throughout!the!summer.!!Temperatures!near!or!above!70!degrees!will!put!stress!on!this!fishery.!
Fishing'Techniques' Catching!these!native!rainbows!is!not!difficult.!!Keep!your!gear!simple!and!light!and!your!approach!low! and!quiet.!!As!wild!fish,!these!rainbows!will!spook!and!look!for!cover!if!they!hear!or!see!you.!!Look!for! pools,!behind!structure!and!tailbouts!feeding!into!deeper!water.!!Gear!requirements:!!!
• 3!to!4!wt.!rod.!!!
• 9!ft.!leader!in!the!5X!to!6X!range.!!!!
• Dry!flies!such!as!a!size!18!Griffin’s!Gnat,!!size!16!elk!hair!caddis!or!a!size!12!stimulator.!!All!must! be!barbless.!
Keep!the!casting!to!a!minimum!and!be!sure!to!get!a!dragbfree!drift!and!you’ll!be!rewarded!with!a! lightening!quick!grab.!
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EAGLE LAKE
! Background' Eagle!Lake!is!located!in!northeastern!California!about!16!miles!north!of!Susanville!in!Lassen!County.!! Eagle!Lake!is!the!only!large!natural!lake!in!California!that!contains!solely!native!fish!species.!!Eagle!is!also! the!second!largest!freshwater!lake!completely!within!California.!!!Eagle!has!an!above!average!level!of! alkaline!(pH!8.4!–!9.6)!that!the!Eagle!Lake!rainbow!is!uniquely!adapted!to!live!in.!!!!
Currently,!Eagle!Lake!rainbow!populations!are!completely!supported!by!hatchery!plantings.!!Spawning! adults!are!trapped!as!they!swim!up!Pine!Creek.!!!!The!hatchery!operation!is!required!because!of!the! degraded!flows!and!spawning!habitat!within!Pine!Creek.!!!The!operation!began!in!1950!with!2,000!eggs! raised!and!hatched!from!a!single!adult!fish.!!Typically!these!hatchery!fish!get!released!into!the!lake!in!the! springtime!at!an!age!of!about!1!year.!
'Big'Trout'Food'–''Tui'Chubs' Large!tui!chubs!live!in!open!waters!throughout!Eagle!Lake!and!can!be!sighted!swimming!just!below!the! surface!at!times.!!The!chubs!are!a!critical!food!source!to!the!larger!rainbows,!especially!in!late!summer! when!high!surface!temperatures!confine!trout!to!deeper!areas.!!Trout!here!also!consume!large!amounts! of!leeches,!aquatic!snails,!and!damsels.!
Adult!chubs!have!a!distinct!migration!pattern!in!Eagle!Lake.!!In!the!spring!they!move!from!deep!water!at! the!south!end!of!the!lake!to!the!shallows!where!they!spawn!on!submerged!aquatic!plants.!!After! spawning,!the!adults!return!to!deep!water!again.!!So!when!thinking!of!fishing!Eagle!at!or!near!opening! day,!think!of!fishing!a!minnow!pattern!(light!colored)!around!the!shallows.!
Regulations'and'Access' California!Fishing!Regulations!for!Eagle!Lake's!fishing!season!is!the!Saturday!of!Memorial!Day!Weekend! to!December!31.!!All!tributaries!to!Eagle!Lake!open!for!fishing!on!the!Saturday!of!Memorial!Day! Weekend.!!Other!regulations!to!note:!
• No!fishing!is!allowed!in!Pine!Creek!below!Highway!44!to!the!mouth!of!pine!Pine!Creek!on!Eagle! Lake.!!! • No!fishing!inside!the!breakwater!jetty!at!the!Eagle!Lake!Marina.!!! • No!fishing!in!the!Pine!Creek!Slough!between!the!egg!collection!facility!and!the!lake.!
Directions'to'Eagle'Lake'from'Red'Bluff,'California:' From!Red!Bluff,!drive!east!on!Highway!36!toward!Susanville.!Three!miles!before!Susanville,!turn!left!on! Eagle!Lake!Road!(County!Road!Alternative!1)!and!drive!15.5!miles!to!County!Road!231!and!process!two! miles!to!the!Aspen!Grove!Campground!or!continue!for!less!than!a!mile!until!you!reach!the!boat!ramp! and!parking!area!at!the!Eagle!Lake!Marina.!
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Area'Map'
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Productive'Times'and'Zones'to'Fish' The!most!productive!times!to!fly!fish!for!Eagle!Lake!rainbow!trout!can!be!the!fall!and!early!winter.!!As! the!water!temperature!gets!cooler!(i.e.!ideal!range!53!to!63!F.!degrees),!the!larger!fish!move!closer!to! the!edges!of!the!lake!and!can!be!sighted!in!5!to!10!feet!of!water.!!Ideal!conditions!would!also!include! cloud!cover!and!some!ripple!(i.e.,!wind)!on!the!water.!!The!more!productive!zones!to!explore!are:!
• Halfmoon!Beach!east!to!Sandy!Beach!b!from!the!mouth!of!Pine!Creek!around!the!shore!to!Rocky! Point.!(Reference)the)SPALDING)TRACT)detailed)topo)map)at)end)of)this)report.)!
• Spalding!b!from!the!Marina!along!the!shore!to!South!of!the!Spalding!Airstrip.!!(Reference)the) SPALDING)TRACT)detailed)topo)map)at)end)of)this)report.)!
• Pine!Cove!to!Pikes!Point!b!along!the!shore!between!Merrill!Campground!and!Eagle!Lake!Marina.! (Reference)the)PIKES)POINT)detailed)topo)map)at)end)of)this)report.)!
Fishing'Techniques' Even!with!excellent!access!from!the!shore,!I!would!highly!recommend!fishing!Eagle!Lake!from!a!pontoon! boat!or!floatbtube.!!You’ll!cover!more!of!the!shoreline!in!far!less!time!and!have!an!easier!time!placing! and!retrieving!your!flies.!!A!word!of!caution!–!please!check!weather!report!before!heading!out!on!Eagle! Lake.!Eagle!Lake!sits!just!below!6000!feet!and!the!area!typically!experiences!highbwinds,!cold! temperatures!and!storms!in!the!fall!and!winter!seasons.!!!Other!gear!requirements:!!!
• 6!wt.!/!9’!6”!fly!rod!is!ideal.!
• Floating!line!and!Intermediate!sinking!line!!/!9!ft.!4X!leader.!!If!targeting!rainbows!in!swallow! water,!then!use!a!floating!line.!
• Wet!flies!such!as!a!size!16!Jay!Fair! Wiggle!Tail!are!my!gobto!flies!on! Eagle.!!(An!olive!colored!Wiggle!Tail!is! pictured!to!the!right.)!I!found!rustb colored!or!burnt!orange!to!be!the! most!effective!colors.!!These!bright! oranges!imitate!an!eggbbearing! damsel!(e.g.,!more!protein!for!the!fish).!!
• Various!streamer!patterns!such!as!size!12!Wooly!Buggers!in!a!variety!of!colors!but!especially! lighter!colors!to!pattern!the!tui!chub!that!the!larger!Eagle!Lake!trout!go!nuts!for.!
The!wiggle!tail!essentially!imitates!a!swimming!damsel!nymph.!!Tie!a!wiggle!tail!and!let!it!act!like!a! suspended!damsel!by!letting!it!sink!to!about!8!feet!below!the!water.!!Then!do!a!slow!retrieve!using!a! count!and!retrieve!technique!with!medium!sized!pulls!and!3b4!second!pauses!between!retrievals.! Spalding'Tract'–'Topo'Map' !
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GOLDEN TROUT CREEK ' “Although Golden Trout Creek is now a tributary to the main Kern River, it was once a tributary to the South Fork Kern. Thousands of years ago, a lava flow blocked Golden Trout Creek from its connection to the South Fork and diverted it to the main Kern River. The trout of Golden Trout Creek are obviously derived from the South Fork Kern golden trout. As such, the golden trout of Golden Trout Creek are classified… O.m. aguabonita.” ! -- Trout and Salmon of North America, Robert J. Behnke
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Overview'of'the'Watershed' The!sources!of!Golden!Trout!Creek!are!on!the!slopes!of!Cirque!Peak!and!the!various!cirques!at!the!south! end!of!the!High!Sierras!at!a!range!of!10,000!to!13,000!feet.!!Several!small!streams!come!together!near!a! series!of!broad!meadows!south!of!Cirque!Peak!to!form!the!headwaters!of!Golden!Trout!Creek.!From!its! headwaters,!Golden!Trout!Creek!flows!southwest!for!a!distance!of!about!8!miles!and!then!turns!more! westerly!and!drops!about!2600!ft.!over!another!8!mile!run!down!to!the!Kern!River.!
The!upper!section!of!the!creek!meanders!through!a!succession!of!alpine!meadows!–!the!largest!of!these! meadows!called!“Big!Whitney!Meadow.”!!In!this!relatively!level!section!of!Golden!Trout!Creek,!the!water! flows!gently!with!the!occasional!rapid,!and!small!cascades!boosting!the!current!and!the!oxygen!level!of! the!water.!!From!its!headwaters!to!its!intersection!with!the!western!end!of!Tunnel!Meadows,!the!creek! drops!about!1,300!to!1,600!ft.!!(This)section)is)highlighted)in)both)the)map)and)the)photo)journal) provided)later)in)the)report.)!!The!lower!section!–!running!west!of!Tunnel!Meadows!to!its!confluence! with!the!Kern!River!–!is!markedly!different.!!Rapids,!cascades,!and!sheer!falls!of!large!proportions!and! natural!beauty!follow!each!other!in!a!series!of!drops.!!Only!in!Groundhog!Meadow!and!a!few!smaller! meadows!are!any!quiet!reaches!found.!
Abundance'of'California'Golden'Trout' Following!the!first!California!Department!of!Fish!and!Game!habitat!management!plan!in!1965,!a!fish! survey!of!Golden!Trout!Creek!estimated!about!2,400!to!15,600!California!golden!trout!in!a!19!mile! stretch.!!In!other!words,!some!stream!segments!held!up!to!821!trout!per!mile.!!Since!that!initial!survey,! studies!indicate!that!about!three!miles!of!Golden!Trout!Creek!hold!between!400!to!2,600!genetically! “true”!golden!trout!today.!
California'Golden'Trout'Genetic'Data' Recent!studies!of!California!Golden!Trout!(CAGT)!in!the!two!major!drainage systems!that!comprise!their! native!range!bb!Golden Trout Creek!and!the!South Fork Kern River!bb!used!a!single!copy!nuclear!(SCN)!DNA marker!and!a!suite!of!six!microsatellite!loci!to!evaluate!levels!of!introgression!in!populations!both!within! and!outside!of!the!native!range.!These!studies!identified!lowblevel,!localized!introgression!in!the!Golden Trout Creek drainage,!specifically!in!headwater!lakes!(and!associated!tributaries)!that!had!been!previously! stocked!with!hybridized!CAGT!(Cordes!et!al.!2006).!
On!the!other!hand,!the!South!Fork!Kern!River!exhibited!a!hybridization!gradient,!with!relatively!high! levels!of!introgression!(50b!80%)!in!the!lowest!reaches!of!the!mainstem!South!Fork!Kern!River!and! decreasing!levels!(1b13%)!further!upstream!to!headwater!populations!(Cordes!et!al.!in!press)!
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Stream'Populations,'Regulations,'and'Access' Stream Trout per Introgression Fishing Access Distance Segment Mile Regulations (one way)
Headwaters to NA Low - Populations last Saturday in Cottonwood Pass 6.5 Miles to Big Whitney threatened in April through Trailhead (*) Big Whitney Meadow Johnson Creek, November 15. Meadow Barigan Stringer, & Stokes Stringer
Big Whitney 133 to 867 Very low to no last Saturday in Cottonwood Pass 13.2 Miles to Meadow to introgression. April through Trailhead to Big Tunnel Tunnel November 15. Whitney Meadow Meadow Meadow(*) Guard Station
Tunnel 133 to 867 Pure populations last Saturday in Cottonwood Pass 17.2 Miles to Meadow to in Volcano Creek April through to Tunnel Little Whitney Little Whitney & Golden Trout November 15. Meadow(*) Meadow Meadow Creek at Little Whitney Meadow
(*)!Note!–!Wilderness!Permits!are!required!for!overnight!stays!leaving!the!Cottonwood!Pass!Trailhead.!!A!quota!is!in!effect!for! the!Cottonwood!Pass!Trail!in!the!Golden!Trout!Wilderness.!This!quota!applies!to!all!overnight!visitors,!whether!you!use!the! services!of!a!commercial!outfitter/guide!or!not.!This!quota!remains!in!effect!from!the!last!Friday!in!June!through!September!15.!! Permits!are!issued!in!advance!at!the!Mount!Whitney!Ranger!Station!located!just!south!of!Lone!Pine!off!Highway!395.!
Directions'to'Cottonwood'Pass'Trailhead' 1. From!Lone!Pine,!California!off!Highway!396!the!trailhead!is!approx.!24!miles.!(Note:!check!road! conditions,!but!the!road!to!the!trailhead!is!usually!open!late!May!to!late!October.)!
2. If!headed!south!on!Highway!395,!turn!left!(headed!west)!on!Whitney!Portal!Road!at!the!traffic! signal!in!the!center!of!Lone!Pine.!
3. Drive!3.5!miles!and!turn!left!(headed!south)!on!Horseshoe!Meadow!Road.!
4. Continue!driving!up!the!steep!grade!for!about!20!miles!to!the!campground!and!Cottonwood! Pass!Trailhead!parking!area.!!(A!right!turn!leads!to!Cottonwood!Lakes!Trailhead,!so!drive!straight! at!this!junction.)! !
Area'Map' !
! Photo'Journal'–'Cottonwood'Pass'to'Tunnel'Meadow'
The ascent to the top of Cottonwood Pass yields this view looking east toward Horseshoe Meadows.
The last few switchbacks leading to Cottonwood Pass. As you can see in the photograph the trail consists of sand, gravel, and rock. The photo was taken in the morning and was heavily sun exposed (i.e., early morning departure will be cooler). A mix of lodgepole and foxtail pines provide some relief from the sun.
Reaching the pass at 11,200 feet and looking west – the edge of Big Whitney Meadow comes into view (left-center of photograph). At this point you will have hiked about 3 miles and climbed about 1,350 feet to reach Cottonwood Pass.
Ah yes, backpack is off and fly rod is strung up. The golden brown grass in late October covers Big Whitney Meadow. Cirque Peak rises up to form the headwaters as Golden Trout Creek meanders just below the meadow grass.
Golden Trout Creek cuts a narrow path through the top of Big Whitney Meadow. The flows are not fast, but the water has cut a fairly deep channel with some undercut banks along its route. These undercut banks hold some of the larger adult California goldens. A size 16 or 18, tan Elk hair caddis drifted along these edges will draw consistent takes.
At the southern edge of Big Whitney Meadow, Golden Trout Creek gathers more volume from other stringers. Angling paradise? With Cirque Peak raising along the northern horizon, thousands of golden trout go about their day – looking for insects to eat. Keep a low profile when approaching and casting to these wild fish.
Flowing south toward Tunnel Meadows the character of Golden Trout Creek transforms. As the photograph to the left shows, the creek cascades down through larger boulders forming small pools and pocket water. Casting becomes difficult with surrounding trees and willows lining the edges. A short “dapping” of a stimulator or EHC will get the attention of the residents lying behind structure here.
Fishing'Techniques' Catching!these!native!golden!trout!is!not!difficult.!!Keep!your!gear!simple!and!light!and!your!approach! low!and!quiet.!!As!wild!fish,!these!fish!will!spook!and!look!for!cover!if!they!hear!or!see!you.!!Look!for!cutb banks,!pools,!behind!structure!and!tailbouts!feeding!into!deeper!water.!!Gear!requirements:!!!
• 3!to!4!wt.!rod.!!! • 9!ft.!leader!in!the!5X!to!6X!range.!!!! • Dry!flies!such!as!a!size!18!Griffin’s!Gnat,!size!16!Elk!Hair!Caddis!or!a!size!12!stimulator.!!All!flies! must!be!barbless.!
Keep!the!casting!to!a!minimum!and!be!sure!to!get!a!dragbfree!drift!and!you’ll!be!rewarded!with!a! lightening!quick!grab.!
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HEENAN LAKE ! The excellent numbers of large Lahontan cutthroat trout prompted the California Fish and Game Commission to select Heenan Lake as one of the first Heritage Trout waters on April 5, 1999.
-- California Department of Fish & Game
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Background' Heenan!Lake!is!renowned!among!catchbandbrelease!trout!anglers!for!its!large!and!abundant!Lahontan! cutthroat!trout.!!!From!personal!experience!over!the!eight!seasons!that!I’ve!fished!Heenan,!the!typical! length!between!16!to!21!inches!and!can!go!as!high!as!24!to!26!inches.!!(See)charts)on)last)page)of)this) report)for)actual)CDFG)catch)statistics)broken)out)by)size.)!
These!Lahontans!are!a!native!species!of!the!east!side!of!the!Sierra!Nevada.!!They!are!listed!under!the! Federal!Endangered!Species!Act!as!a!Threatened!species!having!been!eliminated!from!over!95!percent! of!their!historic!range.!!The!cutthroats!in!Heenan!originated!from!a!strain!of!Lahontans!from! Independence!Lake!north!of!Lake!Tahoe.!The!excellent!fishing!for!large!Lahontan!cutthroat!trout! warranted!the!selection!of!Heenan!Lake!as!one!of!California’s!first!Heritage!Trout!waters.!
CDF&G!also!uses!Heenan!Lake!as!an!egg!source!for!stocking!waters!in!California!and!Nevada!with! Lahontan!cutthroat!trout.!The!Department!takes!up!to!2!million!eggs!annually!from!the!cutthroat!in! Heenan!Lake.!!A!few!thousand!yearling!cutthroats,!reared!from!these!eggs,!are!stocked!back!into!the lake!each!year.!
Emergency!action!was!taken!to!close!the!fishery!in!September!1994.!!A!nutrient!buildbup!and!blue!green! algae!bloom,!combined!with!unseasonably!warm!weather,!depleted!oxygen!in!the!lake.!The!nutrient! buildbup!resulted!from!seven!years!of!drought!and!little!or!no!flushing!of!nutrients!during!that!period.! !Under!normal!conditions!this!natural!productivity!results!in!fastbgrowing,!large!cutthroat!trout.!!CDF&G! observed!1,200!dead fish!at!the!time!of!the!incident.!!Losses!in!total!may!have!ranged!from!3,000!to! 6,000!Lahontan!cutthroat!trout.!!!The!following!year,!however,!saw!more!than!3,000!mature!fish!return! in!the!spawning!run.!!!CDF&G!conducts!studies!to!evaluate!appropriate!fish!population!and!stocking! levels!and!to!help!understand!the!causes!of!the!fish!kill.!!The!state!has!acquired!almost!half!of!the!water! storage!rights!in!Heenan!Lake!as!one!of!the!measures!to!avoid!or!at!least!minimize!future!fish!kills!in!the! lake.! Fly Angler Statistics – 2007 Season (8/3/07 to 10/28/07) Fish!per!Angler! 5! 4.5! 4! 3.5! 3! 2.5! 2! 1.5! 1! 0.5! 0! Friday! Friday! Friday! Friday! Friday! Friday! Friday! Friday! Friday! Sunday! Sunday! Sunday! Sunday! Sunday! Sunday! Sunday! Sunday! Sunday! Saturday! Saturday! Saturday! Saturday! Saturday! Saturday! Saturday! Saturday! Saturday!
Fish!per!Angler! !
Fish!per!Hour! 0.8! 0.7! 0.6! 0.5! 0.4! 0.3! 0.2! 0.1! 0! Friday! Friday! Friday! Friday! Friday! Friday! Friday! Friday! Friday! Sunday! Sunday! Sunday! Sunday! Sunday! Sunday! Sunday! Sunday! Sunday! Saturday! Saturday! Saturday! Saturday! Saturday! Saturday! Saturday! Saturday! Saturday!
Fish!per!Hour! ! Regulations and Access Angling!at!Heenan!Lake!is!restricted!to!Fridays,!Saturdays,!and!Sundays!from!the!Friday!before!Labor!Day! through!the!last!Sunday!in!October.!The!Lake!is!managed!with!catchbandbrelease!only!regulations!and! only!artificial!lures!with!barbless!hooks!may!be!used.!!Almost!every!year!a!high!percentage!of!trout! caught!are!over!18!inches!!!Anglers!can!park!at!the!Heenan!Lake!Wildlife!Area!just!off!Highway!89,!near! Monitor Pass.!!There!are!good!places!to!fish!from!shore!and!walking!along,!sight!fishing!to!cruising!trout,! can!be!a!successful!angling!technique.!Many!anglers!prefer!float!tubes!and!boats!without!gasolineb powered!motors!are!also!allowed.!
Area'Map'
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Directions' From!Meyers,!at!junction!Hwy's!50b89;!take!Hwy!89!S,!go!11!mi.!to!junction!of!Hwy's!88b89.!Turn!E,!go!6! mi.!to!Woodfords.!Turn!S,!go!12!mi.!on!Hwy!89!(past!Markleeville)!to!junction!with!Hwy!4.!Turn!E,! continue!on!Hwy!89!toward!Monitor!Pass,!go!4!mi.!up!steep!hill;!turn!R!at!Heenan!Wildlife!Area!to! parking!lot.! Productive'Zones'to'Fish' !
! Fishing'Techniques' Even!with!excellent!access!from!the!shore,!I!would!highly!recommend!fishing!Heenan!from!a!pontoon! boat!or!floatbtube.!!You’ll!cover!more!of!the!lake!and!in!far!less!time.!!!Other!gear!requirements:!!!
• 6!wt.!rod.!!! • Floating!line!and!Intermediate!sinking!line!!/!9!ft.!4X!leader!!! • Wet!flies!such!as!a!size!16!or!18!BH!Prince!Nymph!(I!found!purple!and!green!to!be!great!colors).!!! Various!streamer!patterns!such!as!size!12!Wooly!Buggers!in!a!variety!of!colors.!!All!must!be! barbless.!
Using!the!map!above,!I!would!head!from!the!launch!areas!(just!below!the!parking!lot)!and!kick!towards! the!“egg!shack”!which!is!located!in!the!far!east!bend!of!the!lake.!!Stay!approximately!10!to!20!yards!off! the!bank!as!you!move!east.!!Fish!the!entire!area!with!either!a!streamer!or!combination!of!nymphs.!!The! key!to!success!on!this!lake!is!not!as!much!fly!selection!as!finding!the!correct!depth!to!fish.!!I!prefer!to!use! an!intermediate!sinking!line!and!initially!fish!down!to!15!feet.!!I!will!vary!the!depth!by!10!feet!–!either! going!up!or!down!in!the!water!column!(e.g.,!ranging!between!5!and!25!feet).!!One!you!have!allowed!the! flies!to!sink,!begin!to!slowly!fin!and!stripe!the!flies!back.!!Also!experiment!with!stripe!techniques!such!as! long!pulls!–!long!pauses!and!short!pulls!–!short!pauses.!
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Little Kern River' ! ! “The Little Kern River golden trout resembles a slightly subdued version of the California golden trout, though with more numerous spots, especially anterior to the caudal peduncle.”
-- Trout and Salmon of North America, Robert J. Behnke
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Overview'of'the'Watershed' The!Little!Kern!golden!trout!(LKGT)!is!one!of!three!subspecies!of!rainbow!trout!endemic!to!the!Kern! River!Basin!of!California’s!southern!Sierra!Nevada!Mountains.!!These!three!subspecies!include!the!LKGT,! California!golden!trout,!and!the!Kern!River!Rainbow!and!are!collectively!known!as!“golden!trout.”!!Both! morphological!and!genetic!characteristics!make!LKGT!different!from!both!California!golden!trout!and! other!rainbow!trout.!
Overfishing!during!the!late!19th!and!20th!centuries!greatly!reduced!the!abundance!of!LKGT!to!the! extent!that!stocking!was!thought!necessary!to!save!the!fishery.!!Subsequent!introduction!of!hatchery! rainbow!trout!into!the!streams!of!the!Little!Kern!River!Basin!during!the!1930’s!and!1940’s!resulted!in! hybridization!between!LKGT!and!the!hatchery!trout.!!Habitat!degradation!from!both!timber!and!mineral! extraction!magnified!the!negative!effects!from!rainbow!trout!stocking.!!!In!1978,!LKGT!became!listed!as! “threatened”!under!the!federal!Endangered!Species!Act.!!!
Reference:!Systematics,)Genetics)and)Conservation)of)Golden)Trout,!by!Molly!Rebecca!Stephens!
Distribution'and'Current'Status' This!subspecies!is!endemic!to!roughly!160!km!of!the!Little!Kern!River!and!tributaries,!where!it!was! isolated!from!the!rest!of!the!Kern!River!basin!by!natural!barriers!(Christenson!1984;!Behnke!2002).!By! 1973!their!range!had!shrunk!to!five!headwater!streams!in!the!basin!(Wet!Meadows!Creek,!Deadman! Creek,!Soda!Spring!Creek,!Willow!and!Sheep!creeks,!and!Fish!Creek)!plus!an!introduced!population! (originating!from!Rifle!Creek)!in!Coyote!Creek,!a!tributary!to!the!Kern!River!nearby!(Ellis!and!Bryant! 1920;!Christenson!1984).!The!Upper!Coyote!Creek!population!subsequently!was!found!to!be!a! population!genetically!influenced!by!California!golden!trout!(M.!Stephens!2007).!!Excluding!Coyote! Creek,!the!1973!distribution!of!Little!Kern!golden!trout!included!about!16!km!of!creek.!! Starting!in!1975,!systematic!efforts!were!made!by!CDFG!and!other!agencies!to!restore!Little!Kern!golden! trout!to!its!historic!range!by!applying!rotenone!to!streams!and!lakes!in!the!drainage,!constructing! barriers!to!immigration!of!nonbnative!trout,!and!rearing!Little!Kern!Golden!trout!at!the!Kern!River! Planting!Base!near!Kernville.!This!effort!resulted!in!their!apparent!restoration!to!about!51!km!of!stream! plus!introduction!into!three!headwater!lakes!by!1998.!!However,!subsequent!genetic!studies!indicated! that!many!of!the!rebestablished!populations!have!hybridized!with!rainbow!trout!(M.!Stephens!2007)!and! the!extent!of!unhybridized!fish!is!uncertain.!!
Recent!genetic!studies!have!identified!unhybridized!Little!Kern!golden!trout!populations!in!Upper!Soda! Spring!Creek,!Trout!Meadow!Creek,!Clicks!Creek,!Burnt!Corral!Creek,!Tamarack!Creek,!Deadman!Creek,! Wet!Meadows!Creek,!Fish!Creek!and!Coyote!Creek,!which!were!most!of!the!original!refuges.!All!of!these! streams!except!for!Coyote!Creek!are!within!the!native!drainage!(M.!Stephens!2007).!Overall,!it!appears! that!Little!Kern!golden!trout!currently!occupy!about!31%!of!their!historic!habitat!but!the!most!secure! populations!are!above!barriers!in!a!few!small!headwater!streams!(<10%!of!historic!habitat).!
Reference:!Salmon,)Steelhead,)and)Trout)in)California:)Status)of)an)Emblematic)Fauna,!by!Dr.!Peter!B.! Moyle,!Dr.!Joshua!A.!Israel,!and!Sabra!E.!Purdy!
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Stream'Populations,'Regulations'and'Locations'' Stream! Trout!per! Genetic!Purity! Fishing!Regs! Location! Mile!
Burnt!Corral!Creek! unknown! Unhybridized! (1)!Last! ) with!nonbnative! Saturday!in! trout! Apr.!through! Nov.!15.!!Only! artificial!lures! with!barbless! hooks!
Clicks!Creek! 1041! Unhybridized! See!Note!(1)! Clicks!Creek!LKGT!exist!in! with!nonbnative! the!upper!portion!of!the! trout! creek!along!the!Clicks!Creek! Trail!
Deadman!Creek! >200! Unhybridized! See!Note!(1)! Deadman!Creek!LKGT!exist! with!nonbnative! in!about!1.7!miles!of!stream! trout! between!the!trail!crossing! and!the!lowermost!barrier! above!the!mouth.! Fish!Creek! >100! Unhybridized! See!Note!(1)! Fish!Creek!LKGT!exist!in! with!nonbnative! about!3!miles!of!stream! trout! including!the!reach!from!the! first!barrier!above!its!mouth! to!the!gorge!above!the!trail! crossing.!
Tamarack!Creek! unknown! Unhybridized! See!Note!(1)! ) with!nonbnative! trout!
Trout!Meadow! unknown! Unhybridized! See!Note!(1)! ! Creek! with!nonbnative! trout!
Upper!Soda!Spring! >800! Unhybridized! See!Note!(1)! Upper!Soda!Spring!Creek! Creek! with!nonbnative! contain!LKGT!in!the!upper! trout! headwaters!above!a!natural! cascade!barrier!
Wet!Meadows! >500! Unhybridized! See!Note!(1)! Wet!Meadows!Creek! Creek! with!nonbnative! contain!LKGT!between!a! trout! barrier!near!the!mouth!&! the!trail!crossing!below!a! rockbfall!barrier!midway! along!the!creek.!
! Area'Map'
Heritage & Wild Trout Water SEQUOIA Little NATIONAL Wild Trout Water PARK k Tulare C Lakes
n k
County u
g C
t Golden Trout
o l h o st
S i Wilderness Area P k Kern e C Rifl
Maggie Soda k
C
Lakes k Spring River c ra Ta m a k C w Pecks lo il W Creek Maggie Canyon Creek Lakes
Alpine
Little Creek £ Mou nta in ek e re e C r
Creek Kern
ks c i l Fish Creek C
River
«¬190 Assembled October 2015 by: Little Kern River Heritage and Wild Trout Designation, including tributaries, from the confluence CDFW Fisheries Branch GIS Data Sources: with the Kern River upstream to the headwaters (Tulare County). This designation includes USGS National Hydrography Dataset approximately 137 miles of perennial stream habitat. Maggie Lake Wild Trout Designation CDFW California Streams Dataset (Tulare County). This designation includes approximately 4.3 surface acres of lake habitat. CDFW Heritage and Wild Trout Program
Little Kern River 0 5 10 Miles Designated Heritage and Wild Trout Waters ' Spotlight'–Upper'Clicks'Creek' Upper!Clicks!Creek!presents!anglers!with!an!excellent!opportunity!to!catch!and!release!native!Little!Kern! Golden!trout.!!The!following!factors!combine!to!make!a!trip!to!Upper!Clicks!Creek!such!an!excellent! opportunity:!
➢! Trout!per!Mile!b!Healthy!population!of!LKGT!(e.g.,!angler’s!personal!observation).!
➢! No!introgression!b!!Clicks!Creek!holds!a!pure!population!of!LKGT.!
➢! Access!b!!Clicks!Creek!Trailhead!is!approximately!41!miles!from!Porterville!California.!
➢! Hiking!b!!Reaching!Clicks!Creek!is!rated!as!an!Easy!to!Moderatebeffort.!!
➢! Wilderness!Area!–A!major!portion!of!Clicks!Creek!lies!within!the!Golden!Trout!Wilderness.! Map'–'Forest'Road'21S50'to'Clicks'Creek'Trail' !
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! ! Directions'and'Trail'Description' Directions!–!From!Porterville!California!on!Highway!190,!drive!27!miles!to!a!junction!where!Hwy!190! becomes!County!Road!M107!(the!Western!Divide!Highway).!!Turn!left!(north)!onto!Forest!Service!Road! 21S50!(the!North!Road).!!A!sign!directs!you!to!several!trailheads,!including!Clicks!Creek.!!
In!4!miles!the!road!splits!again!and!becomes!unpaved!(suitable!for!passenger!cars).!!Turn!left!at!the!split! and!in!2!miles!pass!the!first!Clicks!Creek!Trailhead!on!the!right,!where!there!is!no!parking.!!Drive!a!few! yards!farther!to!the!second,!newer,!Clicks!Creek!Trailhead,!also!on!the!right.!!There!is!parking!across!the! road!and!toilet!facilities.!
Trail!Description!–!The!trailhead!starts!at!an!elevation!just!under!8000!ft.!!Cross!the!road!from!the! parking!area!to!the!wellbmarked!Clicks!Creek!Trailhead.!!From!the!trailhead!you!descend!gently!to!a! tributary!of!Clicks!Creek,!and!then!pick!up!the!main!branch!of!the!stream.!
Notes!b!From!early!to!mid!summer,!the!meadow!areas!of!Upper!Clicks!Creek!will!be!heavily!populated! with!mosquitoes.!!Plan!on!protecting!yourself!with!additional!clothing!and/or!applying!a!bug!repellant! containing!>!35%!Deet.!
As!far!as!your!approach!–!keep!a!very!low!profile!and!attempt!to!stay!as!far!back!from!the!bank!of!this! small!creek!as!possible.!!These!wild!fish!spook!easy!and!the!meadows!sections!of!the!creek!provide! almost!no!cover!for!your!approach.!
The!trail!eventually!descends!down!to!the!Little!Kern!River!over!a!distance!of!5.8!miles.!!
Recommended'Fishing'Gear' • 2!wt.!to!4wt.!fly!rod!!! • 9!ft.!leader!in!the!5X!to!6X!range.!!!! • Floating!!line!/!Strike!Indictor!for!!nymphing!
Fly'Patterns:' • Elk!Hair!Caddis!(tan!/!brown!/!size!14!to!18)! • Parachute!Adams!(gray!/!size!16!to!20)! • Royal!Wulff!(size!16!to!18)! • Rubber!Legged!Stimulator!(yellow!/!orange!/!rust!/!size!12!to!16)! • Bead!Head,!Wire!Wrapped!Golden!Stone!(brown!body!/!yellow!wire!/!size!12!to!16)! • Bead!Head!Dark!Lord!(black!body!/!gold!ribbing!/!size!16!to!18)! • Bead!Head,!Rubber!Legged!Yellow!Sally!(tan!/!size!16!to!18)! • Copper!John!(red!/!size!16!to!18)! • Hare’s!Ear!Nymph!(tan!/!brown!/!size!14!to!18)! • Kern!Emergers!(olive!/!pink!/!yellow!/!size!16!to!20)! • Pheasant!Tail!Nymph!(green!/!size!18!to!20)! ! ! !
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South Fork Smith River' '
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Overview'of'the'Watershed' The!Smith!River!watershed!encompasses!1,862!square!kilometers!in!the!northwest!corner!of!California! (Del!Norte!County),!and!southwest!corner!of!Oregon!(Curry!County).!As!the!largest!undammed!river!in! California,!the!Smith!River!retains!a!natural!flow!regime!giving!the!entire!watershed!excellent!water! quality.!As!a!result!of!largely!being!unaltered,!healthy!populations!of!native!trout!and!salmon!thrive! throughout!the!Smith!River!system!b!including!Chinook!salmon!(Oncorhynchus!tshawytscha),!coho! salmon!(Oncorhynchus!kisutch),!coastal!rainbow!trout/steelhead!(Oncorhynchus!mykiss!irideus)!and! coastal!cutthroat!trout!(Oncorhynchus!clarkii!clarkii).!
Elevations!range!from!sea!level!to!1,954!meters!at!the!summit!of!Bear!Mountain!in!the!Siskiyou!Range.! Three!sub!basins!drain!the!majority!of!the!eastern!and!northern!portions!of!the!basin!including!the! South!Fork,!Middle!Fork,!and!North!Fork.!These!sub!basins!occur!in!the!western!most!portion!of!the! rugged!KlamathbSiskiyou!Mountains!dominated!by!steep!slopes!and!complex!topography.!The!geology! of!this!area!is!largely!ultramafic!rock!that!over!time!has!been!altered!into!various!serpentine!rocks.!!The! western!edge!of!the!basin,!however,!includes!the!coast!range!dominated!by!redwood!forests.!!
Heritage'and'Wild'Trout'Waters'–'South'Fork'Smith'River' In!December!2017,!the!California!Fish!and!Game!Commission!added!thirtybsix!miles!of!the!South!Fork! Smith!River!watershed!to!the!Wild!Trout!Waters!program,!officially!recognizing!the!unique!quality!of!the! fishery.!The!designation!included!the!South!Fork!Smith!River,!from!the!confluence!with!Goose!Creek! upstream!to!Blackhawk!Creek,!including!the!tributaries!of!Goose!Creek!and!Hurdy!Gurdy!Creek.!The! South!Fork!Smith!and!its!tributaries!contain!selfbsustaining!populations!of!coastal!cutthroat!and!rainbow! trout!as!well!as!provide!critical!spawning!and!rearing!habitat!for!salmon.!
The!Fish!and!Game!Commission!further!designated!the!South!Fork!Smith!River!and!its!tributaries!as! Heritage!Trout!Waters.!!The!designation!recognizes!the!beauty,!diversity,!historical!significance,!and! special!values!of!California’s!native!trout.!Heritage!Trout!waters,!such!as!the!South!Fork!Smith!and!the! other!waters!described!in!this!book,!support!fish!populations!that!best!exemplify!indigenous!strains!of! native!trout!within!their!historic!range.!!These!Heritage!Trout!waters!also!give!anglers!the!opportunity!to! catch!these!native!trout.!
Before!the!Fish!and!Game!Commission!could!designate!the!South!Fork!of!the!Smith,!a!unique!and! healthy!population!of!native!trout!within!their!historic!range!had!to!identified.!For!the!Smith,!the!fish! selected!was!the!coastal!cutthroat.!(Reference:!Smith!River!Alliance)! ! !
Coastal'Cutthroat'Trout' The!Smith!River! contains!one!of!the! most!robust!coastal! cutthroat!trout! populations! throughout!their! historic!range!and!is! the!largest!population! in!California.!!Both! seabrun!and!resident! forms!occupy!the!vast! majority!of!fishb bearing!streams! throughout!the! watershed.!
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Coastal!cutthroat!trout!require!cool,!clean!water!with!plenty!of!cover!and!deep!pools!for!holding!in! summer.!They!prefer!small,!low!gradient!coastal!streams!and!estuarine!habitats,!including!lagoons.! Adults!overwintering!in!streams,!rather!than!estuaries,!prefer!pools!with!fallen!logs!or!undercut!banks! but!will!also!utilize!boulders,!depth,!and!turbulence!as!alternative!forms!of!cover!if!woody!debris!is!not! available!(Gerstung!1998,!Rosenfeld!et!al.!2000,!Rosenfeld!and!Boss!2001).!!
Optimal!stream!temperatures!are!less!than!18°C,!with!preferred!temperatures!being!around!9b12°C.!This! may!explain!why!they!occur!mainly!in!more!northern!streams!in!California,!within!the!coastal!fog!belt.! Coastal!cutthroat!require!high!dissolved!oxygen!levels!and!will!avoid!areas!with!less!than!5!mg/L!DO!in! summer!months!(Pauley!et!al.!1989).!!
The!seabrun!cutthroat!typically!spend!two!to!five!years!rearing!in!fresh!water!before!making!their!initial! migration!to!the!salt.!Generally,!these!seabrun!cutthroat!trout!spend!only!brief!periods!offshore!during! summer!months!and!return!to!estuaries!and!fresh!water!by!fall!or!winter.!
! Area'Map'
' When'to'Fish' Coastal!streams!open!for!sport!fishing!from!late!April!through!October!31!in!most!areas.!!Coastal! cutthroat!are!available!throughout!the!season,!with!fresh!seabrun!cutthroat!beginning!to!enter!estuaries! by!July,!and!moving!into!upstream!areas!over!the!summer!and!early!fall.!!Adult!cutthroat!tend!to!follow! salmon!upstream!and!actively!feed!on!eggs!drifting!from!the!redd.!!Late!October!is!a!good!time!to!be! near!salmon!spawning!areas.!!
Fishing'Gear'and'Techniques' A!9!ft.!5!or!6!wt.!rod!with!floating!line!and!4X!9!foot!leader!would!a!solid!fly!fishing!setup!here.!!Inland,! coastal!cutthroat!will!aggressively!attack!dry!flies.!!Suggested!patterns!are!the!Yak!Caddis,!Yellow!Humpy! and!Chubby!Chernobyl.!!Streamers!can!also!be!effective.!!!
Traditional!fly!patterns!include!the!Spruce!Fly,!Reverse!Spiders,!Clouser!Minnows,!and!a!variety!of!small! streamer!patterns.!!Target!these!fish!using!an!intermediate!sink!tip!line,!poly!leader!and!3!feet!of!tippet.!! Depending!on!water!depth,!split!shot!about!a!foot!up!from!the!fly!can!get!your!fly!down!quicker.!!These! fish!are!nomadic!and!will!cruise!the!coastal!estuaries!and!rivers!looking!for!food.!!When!you!happen! upon!a!pod!of!fish,!work!the!area!thoroughly!before!moving!on.!!The!old!adage!“don’t!leave!fish!to!find! fish”!applies!here.!!Look!for!structure.!!Here’s!a!few!more!tips!for!fishing!these!cutthroat:!
• Target!pools!or!slowerbmoving!habitat!with!fallen!logs!and!undercut!banks.! • Small!streamers!on!sink!tip!lines!may!work!better!than!dry!flies!or!nymphs!that!tend!to!catch! more!coastal!rainbow!trout.! • Drift!the!streamer!downstream!toward!cover!and!then!strip!it!back.! • Trail!a!small!nymph!behind!the!streamer.! • Drifting!or!stripping!large!terrestrial!insect!patterns!can!also!be!successful.! • Fish!smaller!creeks!in!which!coastal!cutthroat!trout!are!the!only!trout!present.!The!fish!may!be! smaller,!but!the!likelihood!of!catching!a!cutthroat!is!higher!and!dry!flies!can!be!quite!successful.!!!
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Upper Kern River' !
Background' The!Kern!River!from!Tyndall!Creek!in!Sequoia!National!Park,!flowing!70!miles!downstream!to!the! Johnsondale!Bridge,!is!the!longest!stretch!of!river!in!the!Wild!Trout!Program.!The!Kern!Canyon!in! Sequoia!National!Park!is!part!of!the!river!designated!as!a!Heritage!Trout!stream!in!1999.!The!Heritage! Trout!segment!of!the!Kern!River!is!shorter!in!length!–!running!upstream!from!the!confluence!of!the!Little! Kern!River!!to!Tyndall!Creek.!!The!Heritage!Trout!segment!is!entirely!within!the!Golden!Trout!Wilderness! and!Sequoia!National!Park!boundaries!and!is!home!to!subspecies!of!trout!known!as!Kern!River!Rainbow.!
Kern'River'Rainbows' The!Kern!River!Rainbow!Trout! (Oncorhynchus)mykiss)gilberti)!is!a! subspecies!of!rainbow!trout!endemic! to!the!Kern!River!in!central! California.!!Previously!found!in!the! mainbstem!and!tributaries!of!the! Kern!River,!the!Kern!River!Rainbow! Trout!(KRRT)!has!been!subjected!to! repeated!introductions!of!both!nonb native!rainbow!trout!and!other! native!rainbow!subspecies!into!its! range.!!
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It!is!now!listed!in!California!as!a!species)of)special)concern.!!Despite!a!historically!distinct!morphology! and!preliminary!genetic!work!verifying!KRRT!as!a!distinct!group,!introgression!with!introduced!strains! has!been!rampant,!and!many!individuals!no!longer!represent!the!original!endemic!form.!It!is!currently! unknown!how!many,!if!any,!“pure”!populations!of!KRRT!are!extant.!(Reference:!U.C.)Davis)Genomic) Variation)Laboratory)!
Distribution'of'Kern'River'Rainbows' Populations!considered!Kern!River!rainbow!trout!live!in!the!Kern!River!from!Durrwood!Creek!to!Upper! Funston!Meadow.!!This!segment!of!the!Upper!Kern!River!represents!the!largest!portion!of!the!KRRT’s! native!range!(e.g.,!any!rainbow!caught,!photographed,!and!released!in!this!segment!qualifies!for!the! California)Heritage)Trout)Challenge).!!!
Other!populations!took!hold!in!Rattlesnake!and!Osa!Creeks!through!transplants.!!Upper!Ninemile!Creek! and!possibly!upper!Peppermint!Creek!are!thought!to!hold!populations!of!KRRT.!!Additionally,!an! introduced!population!in!Chagoopa!Creek!appears!to!have!maintained!the!species!genetic!integrity.!
Reference:!Report)by)Dr.)Peter)B.)Moyle,)Dr.)Joshua)A.)Israel,)and)Sabra)E.)Purdy) Stream'Populations,'Regulations'and'Access' Stream! Trout!per! Genetic!Purity! Fishing!Regs! Access! Mile!
Chagoopa!Creek! ! No!known! (1)!Last! Mineral)King)via)Little) introgression! Saturday!in!Apr.! Five)Lakes)(Note:) hybridization!with! through!Nov.! reaching)the) nonbnative!trout! 15.!!Only! headwaters)of) artificial!lures! Chapooga)Creek)is)16.5) with!barbless! miles)and)crossing)two) hooks!may!be! high)elevation)passes)) used! or)High)Sierra)Trail)
Ninemile!Creek! ! ! See!Note!(1)! Forks)of)the)Kern)Trail) 33E20)or)Casa)Viejo) Meadow)
Osa!Creek! ! Transplanted! See!Note!(1)! Forks)of)the)Kern)Trail) population! 33E20)to)Kern)Flat!
Peppermint!Creek! unknown! ! See!Note!(1)! Lloyd!Meadow!Road!
Rattlesnake!Creek! ! Transplanted! See!Note!(1)! Lewis)Camp)Trail)33E01) population! or)via)the)Franklin)Pass) Trail)from)Mineral)King)
Kern!River! 600!to!1400! Significant! See!Note!(1)! Durrwood)Camp)Trail) (upstream!of! trout!per! hybridization!with! 32E44)or)Forks)of)the) confluence!with! mile! hatchery!rainbow! Kern)Trail)33E20! Durrwood!Creek!to! and!planted!golden! trout.! the!confluence!of! the!Little!Kern! River)!
Kern!River! 600!to!1400! Hybridization!with! See!Note!(1)! Forks)of)the)Kern)Trail) (upstream!of! trout!per! hatchery!rainbow! 33E20! confluence!Little! mile! and!planted!golden! Kern!River!to! trout.! Grasshopper!Flat)!
Kern!River! 600!to!1400! Possible! See!Note!(1)! Lewis)Camp)Trail)33E01) (upstream!of! trout!per! hybridization!with! Grasshopper!Flat!to! mile! hatchery!rainbow! Upper!Funston! and!planted!golden! trout.! Meadow)! Map'–'Lloyd'Meadow'Road'to'Forks'of'the'Kern'
! Spotlight'–'Forks'of'the'Kern' The!Kern!River!at!the!confluence!with!the!Little!Kern!River,!known!as!Forks)of)the)Kern,!presents!an! excellent!opportunity!to!catch!and!release!native!Kern!River!Rainbow.!!The!following!factors!combine!to! make!a!trip!to!the!Forks!of!the!Kern!such!an!excellent!opportunity:!
! Trout!per!Mile!b!Large!population!of!KRRT!(e.g.,!high!trout!per!mile!ratio).! ! Reduced!introgression!b!!While!it’s!currently!unknown!whether!any!pure!populations!of!KRRT! exist,!this!section!of!the!North!Fork!is!situated!far!enough!upstream!to!support!a!truer! population!of!native.! ! Access!b!!The!Forks!of!the!Kern!Trailhead!is!about!40!miles!from!the!town!of!Kernville.! ! Hiking!b!!Reaching!the!Forks!of!the!Kern!is!rated!as!a!Moderatebeffort!and!the!4.4!mile!roundbtrip! can!be!completed!in!a!single!day.!!(Note:!allocate!at!least!1.5!!hours!to!reach!the!Forks!from!the! trailhead!and!another!2!to!3!hours!to!return.!!The!return!includes!an!1100!ft.!Climb.)! ! Wilderness!Area!–!The!Forks!of!the!Kern!lies!within!the!Golden!Trout!Wilderness.! Directions'and'Trail'Description' Directions!b!From!Kernville,!drive!along!Sierra!Way!for!20!miles!to!Johnsondale!Bridge.!Continue!across! the!bridge!and!up!the!hill!towards!the!small!town!of!Johnsondale.!!Above!town,!turn!north!onto!Lloyd! Meadow!Road!(22S82).!!!Drive!about!19!miles!until!you!see!the!"Forks!of!Kern!4"!sign,!then!turn!right! onto!Road!20S67!which!is!a!dirt!road!and!proceed!!approx.!2!miles!to!the!trailhead.!
Trail!Description!–!The!trailhead!starts!at!an!elevation!of!5700!ft.!!The!trail!drops!down!to!the!Kern!River! along!a!series!of!switchbacks!over!a!distance!of!2.2!miles!to!an!elevation!of!4600!ft.!!After!reaching!the! valley!floor!you!can!access!the!Kern!River.!!If!you!continue!hiking!upstream!along!the!Kern!River,!you!will! need!to!wade!across!the!Little!Kern!River.!There!is!NO!BRIDGE!crossing!the!Little!Kern,!and!extreme! caution!should!be!used.!Crossing!should!not!be!attempted!during!spring!snow!runoff.!
If!the!Little!Kern!River!can!be!crossed,!the!trail!continues!on!the!west!bank!of!the!Kern!River!for!several! miles!to!Kern!Flat!(a!large!meadow!near!the!river),!then!crosses!the!Big!Kern!River!on!a!bridge!1.5!miles! above!Kern!Flat.!(Note:!plan!to!camp!overnight!if!hiking!up!to!Kern!Flat.)!
Note:!most!of!the!trail!gets!strong!sun!exposure.!!Remember!to!bring!plenty!of!water!for!the!hike.!
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Recommended'Fishing'Gear' !
Gear!requirements:!!!
• 4!wt.!or!5wt.!fly!rod.!!!
• 9!ft.!leader!in!the!5X!to!6X!range.!!!!
• Floating!!line!/!Strike!Indictor!for!!nymphing!
! Fly!Patterns:!
• Elk!Hair!Caddis!(tan!/!brown!/!size!14!to!18)!
• Parachute!Adams!(gray!/!size!16!to!20)!
• Royal!Wulff!(size!16!to!18)!
• Rubber!Legged!Stimulator!(yellow!/!orange!/!rust!/!size!12!to!16)!
• Bead!Head,!Wire!Wrapped!Golden!Stone!(brown!body!/!yellow!wire!/!size!12!to!16)!
• Bead!Head!Dark!Lord!(black!body!/!gold!ribbing!/!size!16!to!18)!
• Bead!Head,!Rubber!Legged!Yellow!Sally!(tan!/!size!16!to!18)!
• Copper!John!(red!/!size!16!to!18)!
• Hare’s!Ear!Nymph!(tan!/!brown!/!size!14!to!18)!
• Kern!Emerger!(olive!/!pink!/!yellow!/!size!16!to!20)!
• Pheasant!Tail!Nymph!(green!/!size!18!to!20)!
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! Upper Truckee River
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The Upper Truckee River population of Lahontan cutthroat near Meiss Meadow is one of the few high-elevation meadow populations of Lahontans in the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range.
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Overview'of'the'Watershed' In!California,!Lahontan!Cutthroat!are!native!to!the!Truckee,!Carson,!Susan,!and!Walker!River!systems,! including!the!Upper!Truckee!River.!The!upper!section!of!the!Truckee!River!profiled!in!this!report!is! located!in!both!Alpine!and!El!Dorado!counties.!!!The!Upper!Truckee!is!a!snowbfed!tributary!to!Lake!Tahoe! draining!into!the!southern!end!of!the!lake.!This!stretch!of!river!provided!historic!spawning!grounds!for! native!cutthroat.!The!introduction!of!nonbnative!brook!trout!(Salvelinus)fontinalis)!in!the!Upper!Truckee! River!would!ultimately!result!in!the!decline!of!Lahontans!in!this!river.!
Starting!back!in!1988,!and!with!help!from!the!U.S.!Fish!and!Wildlife!Service!and!the!National!Forest! Service,!the!California!Department!of!Fish!and!Game!(DFG)!has!conducted!an!effort!to!restore!Lahontans! on!the!Upper!Truckee.!!Stream!surveys!going!forward!from!2007!now!confirm!the!removal!of!all!nonb native!brook!trout!from!the!Upper!Truckee.!!
As!a!result!of!this!effort,!a!growing!population!of!Lahontans!!have!resettled!the!Upper!Truckee!River.!! Due!to!the!population’s!selfbsustaining!nature!(i.e.,!no!hatchery!support),!and!the!location!of!the!stream! within!the!Lahontans’!historic!range,!the!California!Fish!and!Game!Commission!designated!the!Upper! Truckee!River!as!a!Heritage!and!Wild!Trout!Water.!!
The!Heritage!Trout!Water!is!comprised!of!all!tributaries!of!the!Upper!Truckee!upstream!of!the! confluence!with!Showers!Creek!(Showers!Creek!is!the!outflow!of!Showers!Lake!–!refer!to!the!map! included!for!location).!!Angling!on!the!Upper!Truckee!is!permitted!from!July!1st!through!September!30th! and!special!regulations!require!the!use!of!only!artificial!lures!with!barbless!hooks.!!There!is!a!zero!trout! bag!limit.!
Abundance and Size of Lahontan Cutthroat In!a!2009!survey!of!the!Upper!Truckee!River!a!total!of!2080!Lahontan!cutthroat!were!captured!in!the! mainbstem!of!the!river.!!A!survey!of!the!river’s!nine!tributary!sections!turned!up!another!348!cutthroat.!!
The!chart!below!provides!the!total!number!of!Lahontan!cutthroat!captured!on!the!mainbstem!of!the! Upper!Truckee!broken!down!by!size!(Weaver!and!Mehalick!2009).!
! Stream Populations, Regulations, Access & Distance Stream Segment Total Fishing Regulations Access Distance Lahontan (one way)
1500M Test 254 July 1 to September 30 / Pacific Crest Trail to 1st 3 miles Zero Limit / Barbless Crossing of Truckee River, then follow downstream
1000M Test 170 July 1 to September 30 / 500 Meters downstream of 3.5 miles Zero Limit / Barbless! 1500M Test
500 M test 318 July 1 to September 30 / 1000 Meters downstream 4 miles Zero Limit / Barbless! of 1500M Test
Beaver Dams 433 July 1 to September 30 / Pacific Crest Trail to 4.5 miles Zero Limit / Barbless! Martinis Pond, then East to intersection with Truckee River
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Refer to the map below sample points used by DFG in the 2009 survey of the main-stem Upper Truckee (created by Willam Somer, DFG) !
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Directions'to'Reach'Trailhead:' 1. From!South!Lake!Tahoe,!Nevada!–!West!on!Highway!50!to!junction!for!Highway!89.! 2. Proceed!South!on!Highway!89!until!reaching!intersection!with!Highway!88.! 3. Turn!right!going!west!on!Highway!88.! 4. Continue!on!Highway!88!for!8!miles!to!the!Carson!Pass.!Near!the!top!of!the!summit!(8,573'),!on! the!right!(North!side)!you!will!see!a!parking!facility!(fee!required).! 5. The!trailhead!for!the!Pacific!Crest!Trail!is!on!the!northwest!corner!of!the!parking!lot.!
! Area'Map' !
! Trail'Description' This!trail!goes!north!and!follows!the!Pacific!Crest!Trail!(no!mountain!bikes!allowed)!through!expansive! meadows!with!views!of!Little!Round!Top!(10,381'),!Elephant's!Back!(9,585')!and!Red!Lake!Peak!(10,063').! The!trail!begins!by!winding!upward!400!vertical!feet!through!a!series!of!switchbacks!littered!with!large! boulders!for!over!a!mile!until!you!reach!the!summit!where!there!is!a!small!pond.!After!reaching!the! summit,!the!trail!drops!down!a!slight!grade!into!the!flatlands!of!Meiss!(pronounced!“Mice”)!Meadows.!!! The!Pacific!Crest!Trail!crosses!the!Upper!Truckee!River!several!times.!!The!last!crossing!continues!away! from!the!river!and!proceeds!to!Showers!Lake.!
Fishing'Techniques' Catching!this!native!cutthroat!is!not!technical!or!too!difficult.!!Keep!your!gear!simple!and!light!and!your! approach!low!and!quiet.!!As!wild!fish,!these!fish!will!spook!and!look!for!cover!if!they!hear!or!see!you.!! Look!for!cutbbanks,!pools,!behind!structure!and!tailbouts!feeding!into!deeper!water.!!Gear!requirements:!!!
• 2!to!4!wt.!rod!9!ft.!or!less! • 9!ft.!leader!in!the!5X!to!6X!range.!!!! • Dry!flies!such!as!a!size!18!Parachute!Adams,!size!18!Griffin’s!Gnat,!size!16!elk!hair!caddis!or!a!size! 12!stimulator.!!All!must!be!barbless.!
Keep!the!casting!to!a!minimum!and!be!sure!to!get!a!dragbfree!drift!and!you’ll!be!rewarded!with!a! lightening!quick!grab.! ! ©2012,!2018!Michael!Carl! All!rights!reserved.!!No!part!of!this!book!may!be!reproduced!or!transmitted!in!any!form!or!by!any! means,!electronic!or!mechanical,!without!the!written!consent!of!the!author,!except!in!the!case!of!brief! excerpts!in!reviews!and!articles.! ! All!inquiries!should!be!directed!to:! Michael!Carl! Phone:!650.726.7312! Email:[email protected]! ! Photography!by!Michael!Carl!unless!otherwise!noted! !