NATIVE TROUT WATERS OF CALIFORNIA Michael Carl The Ecological Angler www.ecoangler.com TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUTION – THE ORIGINAL SIX 4 ABOUT THE BOOK 4 CLAVEY RIVER 5 BACKGROUND 6 TROUT POPULATION DATA 6 STREAM POPULATIONS, REGULATIONS, AND ACCESS 7 DIRECTIONS TO REACH SEGMENT 3 AND 4 (E.G., BRIDGE CROSSING CLAVEY RIVER): 7 AREA MAP 8 CLAVEY RIVER FLOW STATISTICS 9 FISHING TECHNIQUES 9 EAGLE LAKE 10 BACKGROUND 11 BIG TROUT FOOD – TUI CHUBS 11 REGULATIONS AND ACCESS 11 DIRECTIONS TO EAGLE LAKE FROM RED BLUFF, CALIFORNIA: 11 AREA MAP 12 PRODUCTIVE TIMES AND ZONES TO FISH 13 FISHING TECHNIQUES 13 SPALDING TRACT – TOPO MAP 14 PIKES POINT – TOPO MAP 15 GOLDEN TROUT CREEK 16 OVERVIEW OF THE WATERSHED 17 ABUNDANCE OF CALIFORNIA GOLDEN TROUT 17 CALIFORNIA GOLDEN TROUT GENETIC DATA 17 STREAM POPULATIONS, REGULATIONS, AND ACCESS 18 DIRECTIONS TO COTTONWOOD PASS TRAILHEAD 18 AREA MAP 19 PHOTO JOURNAL – COTTONWOOD PASS TO TUNNEL MEADOW 20 FISHING TECHNIQUES 23 HEENAN LAKE 24 BACKGROUND 25 FLY ANGLER STATISTICS – 2007 SEASON (8/3/07 TO 10/28/07) 26 REGULATIONS AND ACCESS 27 AREA MAP 27 DIRECTIONS 27 PRODUCTIVE ZONES TO FISH 28 FISHING TECHNIQUES 28 UPPER KERN RIVER 29 BACKGROUND 30 KERN RIVER RAINBOWS 30 DISTRIBUTION OF KERN RIVER RAINBOWS 30 STREAM POPULATIONS, REGULATIONS AND ACCESS 31 MAP – LLOYD MEADOW ROAD TO FORKS OF THE KERN 32 SPOTLIGHT – FORKS OF THE KERN 33 DIRECTIONS AND TRAIL DESCRIPTION 33 RECOMMENDED FISHING GEAR 33 UPPER TRUCKEE RIVER 35 OVERVIEW OF THE WATERSHED 36 ABUNDANCE AND SIZE OF LAHONTAN CUTTHROAT 37 STREAM POPULATIONS, REGULATIONS, ACCESS & DISTANCE 37 DIRECTIONS TO REACH TRAILHEAD: 38 AREA MAP 39 TRAIL DESCRIPTION 40 FISHING TECHNIQUES 40 Introduction – The Original Six The Native Trout Waters of California details six of the state’s most scenic, diverse, and significant native trout fisheries. In fact, the California Fish and Game Commission designated these same six as California Heritage Trout waters on April 5, 1999. The Original Six, as I refer to them, are: Clavey River Eagle Lake Golden Trout Creek Heenan Lake 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 hold 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) Kern River rainbow trout (Upper Kern River) California is home to 11 unique kinds of native trout, and you’ll find descriptions for five 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 Sierra Nevada’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 six waters listed above. 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 Some chapters contain extra material including - Angling Statistics and a Photographic Journal. 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.” -- Clavey River: Wild and Scenic River Value Review (December 1997) 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 self-sustaining 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 - Clavey River from Bell & Lily Creek to Road 3N01 ( 5 mi.) Segment 4 - Clavey River from Road 3N01 to Cottonwood Road ( 8 mi. ) Segment 5 - 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 boulder-pocket 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 mid- 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 mid- 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 mid- to Clavey River. November 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. Area 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 Based on historic flows over this period, the optimal time to fish the Clavey River would be mid-June 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 tail-outs 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 drag-free drift and you’ll be rewarded with a lightening quick grab. 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) which the Eagle Lake rainbow are 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.