All River Fishing, Jason Thatcher...Sac/Feather/Trinity River... Report
Blue Ribbon Fishing Charters... Lake Tahoe
Al Brown's Guide Service...Sac Valley Rivers...Report
Championship Sportfishing Outfitters...Sac/Feather/Amer/Delta/Sierras... Report
Ken Cunningham Guide Svc...Klamath/Smith/Sac/Feather R...Report
Eagle Lake Charters...Eagle Lake
Fish-N-Trip Sportfishing...Sac/Delta
Hiouchi Vacation Rental on the Smith River...Hiouchi, CA
Steve Huber's Guide Svc...Trinity/Sac/Feather R/Whiskeytown Res... Report
Ken's Custom Tackle...Sierra Lakes
Kim Hagen's Guide Service...Smith R...Report
Kutzkey's Guide Service... Yreka...Report
Lakeshore Inn & RV....Shasta Lake, CA
Mike's Fishing Guide Service...Trinity/Whiskeytown L...Report
Nor Cal Outdoor Guides... Sac/Feather/Am/Delta ... Report
The Poor Man's Downrigger^TM...Sinker-Dropper
Rio Lobo Guide Service...Northern Sac River...Report
Rocky River Guide Service - Bob Sparre...Sac, Amer., Feather R.
Salmon King Lodge...Red Bluff...Report
S&C Guide Service...Sacramento River
Scott Caldwell Guide Service....N. Cal Rivers/Lakes...Report
Sierra Drifters...Bishop, CA...Report
Steelie Dan's Guide Service...Elk Grove...Report
Stonefly Outfitters...Alaska & N. Cal Waters
Sugarloaf Cottages Resort...Shasta Lake, CA
Wild Rivers Outfitters...N. Cal & Oregon Rivers...Report

About Trout

There are two species of trout native to the western states, the rainbow and the cutthroat. Their success has been due in large part to their ability to adapt to different environments. This created numerous subspecies. The distinctions between subspecies have become blurred in many locations due to the introduction of hatchery fish, overfishing, and the introduction of non-native trout species. One of the best examples of this is the Lahontan cutthroat, native to the Lohantan river system on the east side of the Sierras. The native fish were the largest trout found in North America, commonly weighing over 30 pounds. The Lake Tahoe stocks were decimated by commercial fishing and the competition from the introduction of the mackinaw in 1885, drove them to extinction in that lake. The Truckee River was dammed and planted with brown trout which preyed on the young cutthroat from the Pyramid Lake spawning runs. Apparently strains of rainbow trout were brought into the system at some point in the early 1900's, which interbred with the native fish. Although the record sport fish dates to the thirties, and weighed 30 pounds, a 10 pound fish today is considered enormous. Preservation of native stocks has become a priority with fish and game departments, to the point that high mountain lakes in the Marble Mountain Wilderness were sterilized and golden trout imported from the south Sierra in the 1980's.

Trout like cold, clear, high mountain lakes and streams and are found throughout the United States and Canada. They are highly adaptable and if water conditions are right can be found at low elevations in the western US such as the Sacramento River in Redding, California.

Trout feed on terrestrial and aquatic insects, snails, worms, sowbugs, crawfish, roe, and small fish. Brown trout and mackinaw make fish a larger part of their diet than other species. Although all trout have a varied diet, individual fish develop preferences for certain types of food as they grow older and can be quite selective about what they eat.

Where to Fish
Lake Siskiyou, CA :: Silver Lake, CA :: Union Valley, CA :: Walker Lake, NV :: Twin Lakes, CA :: Iron Canyon Res., CA :: Merced River, CA :: Tulloch Lake, CA :: Woodward Reservoir, CA :: Lake Chabot, CA :: Lake Britton, CA :: Jackson Meadow Reservoir, CA :: Heenan Lake, CA :: Contra Loma, CA :: Englebright Lake, CA :: Donner Lake, CA

Top of Page

 
Artwork by: Alan James Robinson Copyright © 2000.