Wild Trout (S.w. Mo.)

[Jigggg11]

Here are some pics of a wild trout fishing trip I was priviledged enough to go on last Xmas.My friend and I have reason to believe these are McCloud River strian(oncorhynchus mykiss)desendants.He thinks these trout were stocked in here at the turn of the century by the state as one of there numerous indiscriminate stockings.I cannot disclose the exact location of this creek at my friends request, I can tell that it's in lawrence county(this is not crane creek). Hope you guys enjoy the pictures.

[denjac]

Nice fish! Can I venture a guess as to the creek? My guess is Turnback.

[ozark trout fisher]

Great looking stream and fish... You're right in not telling where that is, it'll be overrun if you do.

[laker67]

My guess is that they are not Mclouds. The large par marks, center stripe, and the white tips on the anal and pectoral fins, my guess would be a redband trout. In the 80's, missouri experimented with redbands. Montauk hatchery had a few, but I'm not sure about soh or neosho. I caught a 6.5 pounder at Montauk that looks alot like the larger fish in the post.

[drew03cmc]

Laker, I thought the McClouds are redbands, but upon further research, the McClouds of Crane are Rainbows, however, the McCloud Redband, as far as I can find, hasn't been transported from the McCloud, but is in danger there, due to hybridization with introduced rainbows. They are all oncorhyncus mykiss, however, the watershed of origin determines the line of genetics, as well as the subspecific classification. For example, the Columbia River Redband is oncorhyncus mykiss gairdneri. The McCloud River Redband Trout is oncorhyncus mykiss stonei. Both are rainbows, but from different native watersheds. So, in conclusion, the McClouds in Crane and Mill are not redbands, but a close relative.

[laker67]

Laker, I thought the McClouds are redbands, but upon further research, the McClouds of Crane are Rainbows, however, the McCloud Redband, as far as I can find, hasn't been transported from the McCloud, but is in danger there, due to hybridization with introduced rainbows. They are all oncorhyncus mykiss, however, the watershed of origin determines the line of genetics, as well as the subspecific classification. For example, the Columbia River Redband is oncorhyncus mykiss gairdneri. The McCloud River Redband Trout is oncorhyncus mykiss stonei. Both are rainbows, but from different native watersheds. So, in conclusion, the McClouds in Crane and Mill are not redbands, but a close relative.

I am not sure of the origin of missouri's redbands. I know there is a columbia river redband in addition to the ones you mentioned. Hatchery personel from montauk, relayed the story I told about the redbands that they were experimenting with. As a matter of fact, the same hatchery person told me of the location of the redband that I was fortunate enough to catch. A beautiful fish with brillant colors. I think they were a passing thing like their shasta program. Thanks for the info Drew.

[Buzz]

Nice fish Jiggg. I caught one similar to the big one at another wild trout stream. It's really hard to tell how these fish came to be in some of these streams. From what I know, some were private stockings and others were escapees of hatcheries. Either way, it's great that these fish have survived and flourished in our state. Just keep the secret.

[drew03cmc]

I am not sure of the origin of missouri's redbands. I know there is a columbia river redband in addition to the ones you mentioned. Hatchery personel from montauk, relayed the story I told about the redbands that they were experimenting with. As a matter of fact, the same hatchery person told me of the location of the redband that I was fortunate enough to catch. A beautiful fish with brillant colors. I think they were a passing thing like their shasta program. Thanks for the info Drew.

Excellent. If there are redbands in Missouri, I would relish a shot at one.

The Columbia River Redband is the o. m. gairdneri. They are all absolutely gorgeous and the fact that the sheer population of redband trout is enough to prevent the McCloud River Redbands from being listed as threatened is disgusting. It is a lot like the Fluvial v. Adfluvial Arctic Grayling debate.

[ness]

Well, dayum. You made me get out my Behnke book.

Oncorhynchus mykiss is the genus/species for rainbow, steelhead and redbands (i.e., they're the same fish, almost). There are a number of recognized subspecies, generally grouped as follows:

1. Coastal rainbows CA/OR/WA/Canada/AK (O.m. irideus) some are anadromous (spend time in the ocean; return and spawn in streams) and known as Steelhead

2. Redbands of Columbia & Fraser rivers NV/OR/WA/ID & Canada (O.m. gardineri), some are anadromous and known as Redband steelhead

3. Redbands of parts of northern Great Basin and upper Klamath Lake basin CA/NV/OR (O.m. newberrii)

4. Redbands of northern Sacramento River basin CA (O.m. stonei) this includes the McCloud river

5. 3 supspecies native to Kern River basin: Golden Trout Creek Golden Trout (O.m. auguabonita), Kern River Rainbow (O.m. gilberti), Little Kern River Golden (O.m. whitei). The 'Goldens' don't have a pronounced 'red band', more like a thinner stripe, along with different coloration -- kinda golden.

6. Rainbow-like trout native to 3 river basins in Mexico that aren't officially subspecies.

The ones designated 'redband' (2, 3, 4) have the familiar red band (doh!) and are the primary ancestor for all our fish in MO.

McCloud River Rainbows aren't a subspecies, just part of the O.m. stonei subspecies in #4. McCloud is an 'origin', not a subspecies.

We're not 100% sure the Crane rainbows aren't mutts either. It's just that there were no recorded stockings, so it's assumed they're 'pure'. Even more so than the fish in the McCloud River, which has had documented introductions of other strains. Are they special? You bet. Are they pure? Who knows for sure, but it doesn't matter in the end, right?

All our hatchery fish are mutts. All of them. 'Shasta', 'Columbia', 'Missouri', 'Missouri Arlee', whatever -- they are all mutts. There have been all kinds of things mixed together, including Steelhead, Crane 'McClouds', whatever. They've been selectively bred to make better hatchery and fishing-fish (spawn at the right time, grow fast, disease resistant, whatever). So, don't make too much of the name they call them at the hatchery. That's more marketing than science.

Brightly-colored alone doesn't really mean anything, just like muted colors don't. Anybody who's fished Crane has likely caught a beautifully-colored fish and a silvery one too -- often on the same trip. And, we've all caught brightly-colored fish right out of the parks, right along with the dull-gray variety. Season matters, diet matters, time in stream matters, and habitat matters. What the hatchery guy calls it -- doesn't matter.

So, that's the latest science. And it's not set in stone or absolutely precise. The scientific community is constantly looking at all this, adding or subtracting subspecies, studying strains, whatever. As a matter of fact, rainbow trout were grouped in the Salmo genus up until the 1980's (which includes salmon and brown trout), then were moved over to the Oncorhynchus genus.

And lastly, the trout around here commonly referred to as Golden Trout aren't technically that -- that name is reserved for the two subspecies in #5: O.m. gardineri and whitei. They're just another mutt that's been selectively bred to look putrid. They're not albino.

Phew!

Test Friday.

[Justin Spencer]

Good info ness! I think what is cool is that these little wild streams no have their own "strain" of rainbows that continue to evolve to best meet the conditions they encounter. Survival of the fittest should mean that these strains will continue to improve and get stronger the longer they are present, no one can argue that these "wild fish" are more fun and rewarding to catch than stockers.