California's Heritage Trout

[Benny]

California's Heritage Trout are some of the most sought after fish. If your not familar with these trout here is a list of all the Heritage Trout.

CALIFORNIA'S HERITAGE TROUT

Paiute Cutthroat Trout- is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, due in large part to habitat loss and non-native trout species like rainbows and brown trout

Golden Trout- is a State Species of Special Concern due to habitat loss and hybridization

McCloud River Redband- is native only to the McCloud River and tributaries above Middle Falls near Mt. Shasta

Eagle Lake Rainbow- presently listed as federally threatened

Lahontan Cutthroat- is a federally listed threatened species due primarily to overgrazing

Goose Lake Rainbow- the population is considered to be stable

Warner Lake Redband- is a State Species of Special Concern

Coastal Cutthroat- is stable, but is listed as a State Species of Special Concern

Little Kern River Golden- was listed as threatened, but is now de-listed because of long and expensive restoration efforts

Kern River Rainbow- current population is relatively stable and is not federally listed

Coastal Rainbow/Steelhead-threatened and endangered, resident form is commonly called rainbow trout while the anadromous form is called steelhead which is the species of special concern

The DFG has a Heritage Trout Challenge for those who are intrested in catching these very unique fish that are native to the State of California.
LINK

[DubL HauL]

awesome list have not heard of some of those species maybe someday we all will have the opportunity to make the achievement! I hope I do...

Andy

[anacrime]

Coastal Rainbow?

[Sasha]

That looks like fun.....Too bad I moved.

[Benny]

Coastal Rainbow?

Thanks Shane, I added the Coastal Rainbow/Steelhead on. I had to do a double take on that one. I could not really find any information just now. Very little on the DFG site on the this rainbow, but I will keep searching and update as I go.

[anacrime]

i want to finish this challenge so bad. maybe a bunch of us could do it next season?

[Benny]

i want to finish this challenge so bad. maybe a bunch of us could do it next season?

That would be a really nice road trip in the fall.

[RSetina]

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/fish/Fishing/Reco ... _Trout.asp

This is the link to the fish the qualify for the challenge and I don't see the Eagle Lake Rainbow on the list. All the others are there with the exception of the one. Are you sure it qualifies for the HTC? Thanks for the info though Benny. I really would like to complete the challenge soon, before my old bones say forget it.

[Benny]

It's under the Coastal Rainbow on my screen on the DFG site, just no link to any information

Well with your old bones and my crippled legs we need to plan a trip before we can't walk any longer. I think this year is out of the question for me though Perhaps next Fall would be nice depending on the snow fall this season. A two week road trip would be great going through Northern Cal and coming down through the Eastern Sierra. Closing off the HTC with a beautiful Golden Trout

[RSetina]

Sounds like a great trip Benny. I hope we can make it happen. We'll have to talk after Christmas and get a couple of weeks vacation at the same time. How are you feeling? Hope they aren't pushing you to hard.

[Benny]

I feel alright, much less pain. The company Dr took me off work and sent a requets for an MRI so it's just a matter of waiting now. Hope this will go quickly and I could get back to fly fishing or is that working I'm starting to wonder if I'll be back by February. If insurance company drags there feet I'll be lucky if I'm back by then.

[1mocast]

[color=#000080]It's under the Coastal Rainbow on my screen on the DFG site, just no link to any information

Isn't the Coastal Rainbow the standard vanilla trout we all catch? This includes the steelies... Here is the description from DFG site.

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/fish/Resources/Wi ... owDesc.asp

[anacrime]

[color=#000080]It's under the Coastal Rainbow on my screen on the DFG site, just no link to any information

Isn't the Coastal Rainbow the standard vanilla trout we all catch? This includes the steelies... Here is the description from DFG site.

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/fish/Resources/Wi ... owDesc.asp

someone told me that it had to be from water that was historically connected to the ocean and within a certain distance of the coastline. for instance, wild rainbows from the san gabriel's count but wild rainbows from the owens do not.

[rayfound]

someone told me that it had to be from water that was historically connected to the ocean and within a certain distance of the coastline. for instance, wild rainbows from the san gabriel's count but wild rainbows from the owens do not.

I think you're right because the Owens isn't part of the historic range of rainbows, whereas the San Gabes and San Berns supposedly held rainbows (Steelhead) before people got involved.

Also, the coastal rainbow is the standard Vanilla trout we all catch - that's the variety that has been most commonly adapted into hatchery programs.

[darrin terry]

Shane, I am not sure if this will apply, but over the years there have been distinct varieties of trout, rainbows included, which have been reexamined and found to be the same as other varieties. As an example, the Kamloops rainbows which are planted as trophy fish here on the Kings.

At one time they were thought to be a genetically isolated and distinct variety. As it turns out, if you raise standard run of the mill rainbows in an environment similar to the Kamloops native waters they will develop the same traits. If I remember correctly, the differences in the fish were total number of rows of scales and rays in the caudal fin (tail). The river where they live has colder water on average with a large food supply making for very large fish with incredible color. That colder water has an effect on the physical characteristics of the fish.

Knowing that steelhead are rainbow are steelhead, the only difference being the presence of an anadromous gene which givees the fish a tendency to seek the ocean, I wonder if the coastal rainbow is simply the anadronous rainbow (steelhead).

Or maybe I missed something reading through all this and that's what has been said. Curious anyway.