Kern River Fly Fishing Forum - Report, pics, question

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Sep 10^th, 2010, 5:59pm

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Report, pics, question (Read 3643 times)

Hoppytsw

Silver Member

Posts: 148
Gender: male

Report, pics, question
Nov 13^th, 2007, 7:35pm

I was up pretty early and headed up to my last 07 fishing up above Johnsondale for the year.

And after about an hour of hiking there was the beginning of my stretch for the day looking great and a bit chilly w/o the waders. Knee deep wasn't to bad.

With little luck I took the water temp at about 9:45 and it came in right at 42 degree, and 10 minutes later came this guy.

Here's a little more water and some fish, I caught about 15 total and nothing to special. There was the great monster in that front boulder pocket hitting the yellow humphy dry. 50/50 at best? Mine went- take, waaaait, set, zzzzzzz around the boulder, aaaaaaand snap...

I caught on a yellow humphy, red price, and tiny black anything.

And the question involves this fellow.

He was caught a good bit up from the forks in September. First Kern Brown was very cool, but the question comes from telling a few folks about it. I've had 4 people ask if I threw it off in the bushes. Their thought being that it would cross with the Kern Rainbow and degrade the strain. I let this fellow swim on, any thoughts?

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Richard_Cullip Diamond Member Posts: 2258 Gender:	Re: Report, pics, question Reply #1 - Nov 13^th, 2007, 7:39pm I never heard that browns interbreed with rainbows. Wasting a game fish (throwing it in the bushes) is against the law. I'm glad you put him back.
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anacrime Platinum Member Trout Bum (In Training) Posts: 503 Gender:	Re: Report, pics, question Reply #2 - Nov 13^th, 2007, 8:06pm Looks like a great trip. Did you hike in and out in the same day? I'd love more information on the trail and stuff if you got it.
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midger

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Nymphs Rule!

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Gender: male

Re: Report, pics, question
Reply #3 - Nov 13^th, 2007, 8:10pm

Browns don't interbreed with rainbows. The browns spawn in the fall and the rainbows in the Spring. There are some winter spawning rainbows like those on the Colorado below Glen Canyon Dam (in Marble Canyon).

What you have in your last picture is a very pretty brown trout. I'm glad you didn't kill it, but am sure other Kern River folks wish you had as browns aren't native to that watershed--actually not native anywhere in the USA.

The worst day of fishing beats the best day of working, and remember, nobody on their death bed wishes they had worked more. Fish, laugh, love!

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SoCal Diamond Member 379LL Posts: 2038 Gender:	Re: Report, pics, question Reply #4 - Nov 13^th, 2007, 8:35pm Hoppytsw, Midger answered your questions. Those are some beautiful pictures! I'm also glad you let the brown go but if you were to keep a few to eat that evening than I'd suggest you keep the browns. It is a designated Kern River Rainbow fishery. Thanks for sharing.
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Darrin Terry

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SSFFC, FFFC, FFF

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Re: Report, pics, question
Reply #5 - Nov 13^th, 2007, 9:02pm

Yeah, that is one of the prettiest Browns I've seen. I'm a member of the fly fishing club here in Fresno, and Guy did a presentation for us last Friday night. He was explaining how they are actively trying to rid the Kern of Brown Trout. I would not suggest throwing em to the bushes either, but if you're not against eating a few trout now and then, the Browns would work while on the Kern. I mostly play C&R these days, but do like to have some once or twice a year. Personally, I would love to see more Browns around, but the idea is to reduce competition for the native fish, in this case the Kern River Rainbow. And I must say, I like the idea of keeping those guys around.

Looks like you had a stellar day up there this trip too, by the way. Those are some real pretty KR 'Bows, especially the last one! Grin

Well done I say.

Darrin

So far I've fished 24 days in 2010. Many more to come I hope.

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jsmurphy62 Member Cheers... Have a homebrew. Posts: 73 Gender:	Re: Report, pics, question Reply #6 - Nov 13^th, 2007, 9:19pm Great pics! Beautiful fish! Looks like you had a very productive day on the river. Murph
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troutinator Diamond Member Posts: 2458 Gender:	Re: Report, pics, question Reply #7 - Nov 13^th, 2007, 10:22pm I only wished I could catch a brown trout so I would have to make the decision. Oh, it's still go back in the drink. Oh, but I do love those big browns on the East Walker River.
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dh2x Gold Member I'm down to a size 2(wt.) and loving it! Posts: 293 Gender:	Re: Report, pics, question Reply #8 - Nov 13^th, 2007, 10:40pm Great pics and report, glad you let the brown go(compared to throwing it in the bushes-you made the right choice IMHO). Dean
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Wiredog

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fishing is not a
matter of life or
death....

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Re: Report, pics, question
Reply #9 - Nov 14^th, 2007, 5:46am

Seems like a no-brainer to me too. I understand the reasoning behind removing them from the river, but it is a shame to just waste it and toss it in the bushes. I am sure that some lucky scavenger will take advantage of it but it still seems a tad unethical to me. Releasing it if you aren't going to eat it was the right choice. But imagine catching it early in the day. Now you have to carry the dumb fish (and I say that because thats the ones I usually catch) around all day?

Some people are like Slinkys. They aren't really good for much, but it brings a smile to your face when you see one fall down the stairs.

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Gilt Silver Member Posts: 142 Gender:	Re: Report, pics, question Reply #10 - Nov 14^th, 2007, 8:31am I have read on the SF in the GTW they throw-away the Browns. The goal is to remove all non-native fish from the river (Browns eat Goldens). The following web site talks all about it. http://www.konaearth.com/GoldenTrout/
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fishinXJ

Platinum Member

SSFFC Conservation
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Gender: male

Re: Report, pics, question
Reply #11 - Nov 14^th, 2007, 9:04am

Yes but only on certain sections of protected waters where it makes sense and you might as well eat them. Silver Creek in Idaho is a fishery that was taken over by browns and have drastically reduced the native RB populations. One thing I don't understand is, if the DFG so worried about browns which don't breed with rainbow but do eat them....why do they plant a different species of rainbow trout in the lower river which can eventually breed with a native bow since all fish migrate and spawn?.. I also don't believe that the planters are only supposed to live a week or so before dying because I've caught several holdovers in the past...especially back in the day when the upper river was closed to fishing until March 15th every year. MAybe somebody can answer this for me or correct me
thanks

Fishually Frustrated!

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Sasquatch

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Posts: 649
Gender: male

Re: Report, pics, question
Reply #12 - Nov 14^th, 2007, 9:50am

Browns don't hybridize with Rainbows. Not something to be concerned about.

As far as taking Browns out of the stream, I don't do it personally. How many Browns do you catch in the Kern?
They are a rarity at best. Squawfish are far more common, and will eat trout voraciously... But nobody talks about, or recommends, killing those fish because they are native to the drainage. In my opinion, Browns have hardly infested the Kern, why kill them?

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Sasquatch

Platinum Member

Posts: 649
Gender: male

Re: Report, pics, question
Reply #13 - Nov 14^th, 2007, 10:01am

Just re-read some of the others poster's comments...

I agree with others that have suggested that planted trout are more of a threat than Browns to the native Rainbows.
Those stocked fish will ABSOLUTELY spawn in the river. And if we are really concerned about the future of KRRs and Goldens, then planting should be stopped immediately.
A planted Rainbow will hybridize with both Native Rainbows and Goldens... I have even had people that are 'in the know' tell me that there is no such thing as a pure strain Golden on most stretches of the South Fork because stocked Rainbows have completely contaminated the gene pool.

Oh, and nice report... Those are some very pretty trout!!

S

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Pete

Diamond Member

"Once you do
Boo, you'll never go
plastic again"

Posts: 2041
Gender: male

Re: Report, pics, question
Reply #14 - Nov 14^th, 2007, 10:11am

Check out the DFG web site. They talk about catching the five "Native" trout species in Calif. The native waters for "native" trout is extremely small. I am not sure that the Kern Bows are listed as a truely"Native" fish. Don't yell at me I am going to check the web site right now. I'll be back.

Personally I love catching any species of trout anywhere.

Pete

« Last Edit: Nov 14^th, 2007, 10:24am by Pete »

www.renaissanceflyrods.com

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