While I’m happy to catch a trout with almost any color spots on it, Dave of the Fly Fishing for Native Trout blog wants one of each.
To that end, he’s been chasing California’s native trout for years, and chronicled the completion of his quest in this California Heritage Trout post.
It’s definitely worth a read.
[tags]california trout, california heritage trout, trout[/tags]
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Just tonight I posted something about this guy on my blog. Very impressive. Not only to catch all those different species, but to be able to identify them! Very subtle differences to some of them. Around here when you catch a trout it’s either a brown or a rainbow.
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Two reading suggestions for anyone intrigued by this wonderful expedition:
Native Trout of North America, by Robert H. Smith. My copy (1984) has folded-fin dead fish photos; adequate for showing phenotypes but a little too formalin smelling. The second edition (1994) reportedly has splendid watercolors of the fish.
M.R. Montgomery’s Many Rivers to Cross, 1996.
Montgomery, “ Fish do not have expressions; they lack both emotional lives and facial muscles. But cutthroats do an excellent imitation of a foolish, sentient being. You can imagine them thinking: “Oh, that really isn’t something I should eat. Or maybe it is. I shouldn’t. I really shouldn’t. Oh hell, I will.”
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Sully’s recommendations are available fairly inexpensively (read *used*) on Amazon.com:
Native Trout of North America
and,
Many Rivers to Cross: Of Good Running Water, Native Trout, and the Remains Of Wilderness
I ordered a copy of Many Rivers to Cross for the back-breaking sum of $1.00.
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What is enjoy most, about finding the california heritage trout, is the new water I have visited. I’m not sure if the DFG site still has the picture, but my link has the artist’s panel of all of the heritage trout. The certificate you receive will have your selection of these Tomelleri paintings. Nice work. I’m looking forward to completing my challenge.
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