Everything about The Golden Trout totally explained
The
golden trout (
Oncorhynchus mykiss aguabonita), is a sub-species of the rainbow trout (
Oncorhynchus mykiss). The fish is also known as the
California golden trout and is native to Golden Trout Creek, Volcano Creek and the South Fork Kern River. Another variant,
O. m. whitei, was historically found only in the Little Kern River but is now found in other nearby creeks, as well. The golden trout is commonly found at elevations of 10,000
ft (3,000
m) above
sea level, and is native to
California. Originally placed in the species
Oncorhynchus aguabonita, most
taxonomists now classify the golden trout as a subspecies of the
rainbow trout,
Oncorhynchus mykiss, placing it with several other subspecies commonly known as
redband trout,
Oncorhynchus mykiss ssp.
The golden trout has golden flanks with a red, horizontal band along the lateral line and 10 dark oval marks called "parr marks", five per side. Dorsal, lateral and anal fins have white leading edges. In their native habitat, adults range from 6–12
in (15–30
cm) long. Fish over 10 in (25 cm) are considered large. Golden trout that have been transplanted to lakes have been recorded up to 11
lb (5
kg) in weight. The world record golden trout was caught by Charles S. Reed, on August 5, 1948, from Cook Lake in the Wind River Range. That fish was 28 in (70 cm) long and weighed 11.25 lb (5.1 kg). Preferred water temperature is 58–62 °
F (14–17 °
C).
Years of
overexploitation, mismanagement and competition with
exotic species have brought these fish to the brink of being designated as
threatened. Introduced
brook trout ("Salvelinus fontanalis") outcompete them for food, introduced
brown trout ("Salmo trutta") prey on them and introduced rainbow trout ("Oncorhynchus mykiss'") hybridize with them, damaging the native gene pool through
introgression.
The golden trout was designated the state fish of California in 1947. Populations have been in steady decline for decades. As a result, the
California Department of Fish and Game (External Link
) signed an agreement with federal agencies in September 2004 to work on restoring back-country habitat. Conservationists have also been attempting to introduce golden trout to other waters such as to
Lake Mohave in
Nevada and
Arizona.
The golden trout should be distinguished from the similarly-named golden rainbow trout, also known as the palomino trout. The golden rainbow is actually a color variant of the rainbow trout.
Chuck Yeager and the New Mexico population
After then-
Colonel Chuck Yeager introduced one of his commanding officers,
General Irving "Twig" Branch, to the
Sierra Nevada populations of golden trout, Branch ordered Yeager and
Bud Anderson to introduce the species to the mountain streams of
New Mexico, where they can be fished to this day.
In his second autobiography,
Press On, Yeager details his annual fishing trips to catch golden trout which he extols as one of the best game fish and best eating fish to be found.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Golden Trout'.
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