Something different today 6/12

[netboy]

Took the boat out this morning and ran to a shoal that has been marginal to wade with the current water releases. Well today they turned on another generator so it was too high for safe wading. I anchored the boat upstream from a nice run and caught quite a few rainbows using a Y2K/ruby midge combo under an indicator. I noticed a golden rainbow hanging out along the grass edge just downstream from the boat. Those things shine like a neon light in the water which makes them easy targets for the eagles and herons. I watched him approach the egg and then look at the midge on 5 or 6 drifts. He finally committed and took the midge. They are strange looking fish.

 

 

[jfrith]

Palomino? didn't know they were stocking those. I remember when they started stocking those at Dogwood canyon back like 20 years ago. Easy prey for the eagles.

[netboy]

They started stocking them last year on the White. The AGFC purchased trout from Crystal Lake hatchery in Ava Mo and that is where the goldens came from. This was due to a shortage of trout produced at the AGFC Jim Hinkle hatchery at Mammoth Spring due to damage from the flood last year. I watched the Crystal Lake truck stock at Cotter a few weeks ago and it looked like a couple dozen goldens were mixed in with the load of rainbows.

[jfrith]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think these are a mutation rainbow trout and aren't the true Golden trout that come from California?

[Johnsfolly]

1 hour ago, jfrith said:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think these are a mutation rainbow trout and aren't the true Golden trout that come from California?

You are correct, they are called goldens or palomino trout that are hatchery bred. I have never heard of stream bred palomino/golden trout.

The golden trout in CA is a critically imperiled species.