How did they get there?

wormfree · Veteran Member

How did they get there?

SK60 · Senior Member

Worm free:

This question comes up from time to time and there is no real answer. Our wild trout could come from a number of sources: coastal rainbow, steelhead, holdover plants of various strains, or a combination of sources, etc. Fish larger than 15 inches typically have the colors seen in my avatar, with gradations in the green and gold. Spawners are often darker, especially the males.

I wouldn't write off that they are not heritage species-no genetic studies have been done to determine their origins. PCT would like to see those studies done in the future, perhaps as part of the Wild Trout designation evaluation (all it requires is the money to hire the resources).

A very important part of the WT evaluation is the collection of data on the status of the current wild trout population. Everyone can make a very valuable contribution to this data collection by simply filling out the ASB survey forms on the Creek at Access 5, and the parking lots near the Highway 128 bridge. Surveys can also be completed online on this forum site.

Emerger · Senior Member

Everyone I've asked have always said there are no cutthroats in Putah. But I've caught trout that look a lot like them. The colors, the number of spots and their orientation, and sometimes even orange-ish slashes on the throat... could have fooled me. I hope one day we can do a genetic study of the fish to settle this once and for all.

shon42073 · Senior Member

I think putah trout are basically muts. There a hodge podge mix of rainbows planted over the last 50 or so years, Enough survived to become wild and reproduce. I think if there were any true native trout in there they long ago interbred with planted, holdover, or wild fish that those genes are long gone. Thats not just putah but in my opinion the story for most nor. cal. waters. I've found it defenitly not abnormal to catch rainbows with slashes under there jaws.

-- Edited by shon42073 on Monday 8th of November 2010 04:48:00 PM

SK60 · Senior Member

RT are so variable in coloration patterns, etc that they can be an unreliable identifier, especially with such a checkered history of origin. Because of their winter spawn, I like to think they are dam-locked steelhead, but alternative stories are just as plausible at this point.

AfricanAngler · Senior Member

Pink,blue,brown,green, red, gold they are all just as much fun to catch!!! Although I must say I particularly like to try and catch them of the "Chrome" variety!! biggrin

Inall seriousness I don't know nuch about trout, (Some might say i don't know much how to catch them either, and they'd be right!!) but I have caught quite a few funny looking ones around access 5.

101fish · Senior Member

Some quick clarifications.... 1) the coloration on trout is extremely variable and spotting/red banding can come and go. Parr marks also vanish as the trout grow, so 'image' alone is not a good ID. A good way to tell a cuttie from a 'bow is by the size of the mouth. Cutthroat have a maxilla (upper jaw bone) that extends far beyond the back of the eye, where as 'bows the mouth is much smaller.
2) Cutthroat (with the exception of coastal species) are pretty sissy fish, especially compared to other trout. Because of this, they rarely (with some exceptions) occur in streams with other trout species, because hybridization and inter species competition wipe them out.
3) The time at which trout spawn is not always determined by genetics... it often comes down to two drivers: the hydrograph of the steam they are in (aka the flow regime) and the temperature of that stream. Putah has peak flows in the mid-late summer, and a relatively constant temperature... however a 'normal' (not dammed) trout stream has peak flows are in the winter and spring followed by and increase in temp ... so a decrease in flows + rise in temp tells the trout the winter is over and it is time to get it on (most trout are early spring spawners, even though steelies will run up rivers before they drop eggs). In Putah the indicators fish use to spawn are not quite what they evolved with, and the trout get slightly confused. Because there is not a strong signal to the fish as to when they are supposed to spawn, the spawn in the creek is highly variable (I have seen fish on redds from November to February). The fact that the fish are spawning in the fall/winter is likely due to the fact that the flows just dropped, and the temperatures are still somewhat constant, and probably not due to the fact that they a relict population of central valley steelies. Pure speculation and BS, but just my 2 cents.

SK60 · Senior Member

101 you are right on regarding the upside down flows and that possibly being the "trigger", as the flows drop. You could throw in day length, angle of the sun, changes in the water chemistry, etc., as well. Large females efished last Nov 2-4 were all ready to lay their eggs then, so I'm thinking its multiple cues. But the science hasn't been done to my knowledge, so the "mystery" remains for now.

Regardles of why they are on the beds, they need to be protected by leaving them alone.

65Westy · Veteran Member

How long will they stay in the beds? I plan on fishing there in January.

101fish · Senior Member

Ya...Since Putah come from hypolimnion releases out of Berryessa, the water chemistry doesn't really change... neither does the temperature. Day length/sun angle are not really known to directly cause spawning in rainbows (see Moyle 2002 on that one). I am mostly just saying that the timing of the spawn doesn't really mean the fish in the creek are CV steelies... that possibility seems unlikely because of the amount of stocking in both Lake Solano and in the creek. I agree on not pulling em off of beds, gotta keep the number for next year up. Best of luck,

SK60 · Senior Member

One good change in the chemistry-there's less poop since the "resorts" were closed down on Berryessa wink

Emerger · Senior Member

65Westy wrote:

How long will they stay in the beds? I plan on fishing there in January.

They will be on their redds anywhere from Oct to as late as April. In my opinion the creek is tough fishing from Jan to April but you may get a few.

-- Edited by Emerger on Thursday 11th of November 2010 04:04:06 PM

SK60 · Senior Member

With limited spawning substrate, redds may be re-occupied by successive groups of fish over the three months. My experience has also been of slow fishing from January until the flows start back up in late March-April. Survey reports have shown the same slow catch rates

65Westy · Veteran Member

Thanks for the replies. I'll be in that area as we're going to Napa/Yountville for a getaway weekend in January and my wife was interseted in learning to Fly Fish.

SK60 · Senior Member

Send me an email: sk60@putahcreektrout.org and I can fill you in on some possible ways to introduce her to the sport in this area.