Game and Fish helicopter-stocks Upper Tayo, Lower Tayo, and Upper Deep Creek lakes with pure golden trout every two to four years. The Volcano Creek Golden trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss aguabonita), also referred to as Golden Creek Golden Trout, has been isolated for tens of thousands of years above impassable barriers in … You can find the golden trout at elevations from 6,890 to 10,000 feet above sea level. The Wind River Mountains have the largest Golden Trout in the world. Consists of Golden Hybrids. Falls. the Sierras. Golden offers fabulous fishing options for spin casting and fly-fishing from the shore or boat, and even ice fishing in the winter. Cottonwood Lakes are under special regulations. Golden-Rainbow Hybrids in the upper elevations.Rocky Basin Lakes: Series of 4 lakes at an elevation of 10,800 feet. It is the State Freshwater Fish of California and has long been recognized for its unparalleled beauty. Golden Trout Creek is a stream located just 25.9 miles from Lone Pine, in Tulare County, in the state of California, United States, near Mineral King, CA. 4.5 miles from trailhead. Inyo County, Southwestern portion, in all waters bounded by the Inyo County line on the south and west, Independence Creek on the north (open to fishing), and Highway 395 on the east: First Saturday in Mar. 5 trout. Golden trout lakes is a 5-mile rout trip hike with the opportunity to fish for Golden Trout. I just went fishing in the western Sierra and caught a Golden trout even bigger than the one in the picture. : July 1 through Nov. 15. In this video, I went trout fishing with my dad at Cripple Creek. May consists of Goldens but is now managed as "fishless" by DFG. Taking the Cottonwood Lakes Trailhead from Horseshoe Meadow, you can reach the following local lakes and streams:Muir Lake: 8 acre lake at an elevation at 11,010. Goldens originally inhabited this area but have been reduced in numbers through competition with Brown Trout and hydridization with stocked Rainbows. From its headwaters to its intersection with the western end of Tunnel Meadows, the creek drops about 1,300 to 1,600 ft. The Cottonwood Lakes are the land of the giant Goldens. The Golden Trout Creek drainage flows roughly 19 miles total moving south and then west from the Cirque Peak-Siberian Pass area of the southern Sierra Nevada. Consists of Golden Hybrids. Since these fish put Golden Trout Creek at risk in maintaining genetic purity, they have been removed by gill netting in 2001 to 2003. best Golden Trout fishing opportunities within the Wind River Mountains. Only artificial lures with barbless hooks may be used. The Golden Trout is also known as the California Golden Trout and is native to Golden Trout Creek, Volcano Creek, and the South Fork Kern River. Results show that the Tayo and Deep creek-drainage lakes near Wind River Peak currently offer some of the best golden trout fishing opportunities within the Wind River Mountains. No restrictions. Consists of Golden Hybrids. The trail follows the creek through Mulkey Meadows, then you'll need to follow the creek down to the SF Kern. GONE FISHING. Get the latest fishing conditions, water flows, weather, maps, guides, and fishing access in California EASY ACCESS. The Dept of Fish and Game was under mandate of the Calif Wild Trout program to Fishing Season and Regulations: Within the Golden Trout Wilderness, the season is open between the last Saturday in April and November 15 using only artificial lures with barbless hooks. 10 trout in possession. Listen to the Cast & Spear Podcast Fish have not been removed from this lake and it consists of Golden Hybrids, some of them are known to be of large size.Volcano Creek: About 14.5 miles from the Cottonwood Trailhead. The fishing at Cottonwood Lakes is so spectacular at certain times of the year. Consists of Golden Hybrids.Cottonwood 5: 20 acres at 11,160 feet. Only in Groundhog Meadow and a few smaller meadows are any quiet reaches found. California golden trout. hooks with a limit of 5 fish. Next morning we moved camp up river five miles to our exit trail up Rattlesnake Creek. There are also campspots with fire pits if you want to make it an overnight. Fishing reports in California. Rainbow trout predominate but there are lots of brown trout in the creek too. Genetic testing has shown that the purity of most of the Goldens within the Golden Trout Creek is 93-96%. Valid XHTML & CSS. The guys did a "shakedown trip" to ensure their gear and legs were ready for the challenging adventure. Cottonwood Pass. It is managed as a Family Fishing Lake and stocked with advanced yearling rainbow trout and golden perch for special events (see Introduction). 4.5 miles from trailhead. Golden Trout Creek offers native golden trout as well as an amazing alpine meadow in Big Whitney Meadow and canyon settings in the lower section. Fortunately, pure sources of Volcano Creek Goldens have been identified within the upper reaches of Golden Trout Creek to allow a pure strain hatchery program to continue. of Volcano Creek, representing a decrease of 95% from historical numbers. Other Rivers and Streams outside of Inyo County: Last Saturday in Apr. 4.0 miles from trailhead. Cottonwood 6: 5 acres at 11,600 feet. The California Golden Trout is often cited as being the most beautiful of the salmonids. The creek has two Steve and his buddies' quest for golden trout was a success. The Golden Trout Creek drainage flows roughly 19 miles total moving south and then west from the Cirque Peak-Siberian Pass area of the southern Sierra Nevada. Mulkey consists of abot 8 miles of stream. 8 miles from trailhead. Alternate names for this stream include Whitney Creek and Volcano Creek. One major point to keep in mind is that high lake waters are normally very clear. At present, only 400-2,600 ‘pure’ California Golden Trout remain in their native habitat in 5 km (about 3 mi.) 6 miles from Trailhead. Brood Hatcheries were established within the Cottonwood Lakes. A lava flow from the Groundhog Cinder Cone at Tunnel Meadow flowed down Golden Trout Creek about 10,000 years ago and divided the watershed. Around 1890, E.H. Edwards and others California golden trout are native to two stream systems on the eastern side of the Kern River: Golden Trout Creek and the South Fork Kern River (Tulare County). (The section pictured above illustrates the changes including more willows along the creek and more large rocks throughout it's course.) Cottonwood 2: 5 acres at 11,030 feet. It is the state freshwater fish of California. 01:40 They don’t. The upper section of the creek meanders through a succession of alpine meadows – the largest of these meadows called “Big Whitney Meadow.”. From Lone Pine, drive west on Whitney Portal Road 3.5 miles to Horseshoe Meadow Road and turn left. The Golden Trout is native to the southern Sierra Nevada, including the upper reach and tributaries of the South Fork of the Kern River, and Golden Trout Creek and its tributaries. Rapids, cascades, and sheer falls of large proportions and natural beauty follow each other in a series of drops. Cirque Lake: 7.5 acres at 11,060 feet. 0 trout. Pool after Pool Invited a Cast. Goldens that inhabited Cottonwood Lakes were a source for Golden stockings to other areas within the Catching golden trout is the pinacle in wild trout fishing, and for good reason. Pound for pound they fight better than any other trout. The first fishable waters occur at the top of Ramshaw Meadows, close to the proximity of Golden Trout Creek. The daily bag and possession limit is 5 fish. The lower section – running west of Tunnel Meadows to its confluence with the Kern River – is markedly different. 6 miles from trailhead. Longest golden trout … Records show that Cottonwood Creek was fishless until 1876 when Colonel Sherman Stevens brought 12 Golden You thought a California Golden didn’t get bigger than 10”, right? Golden Trout Wilderness is named after California’s brightly colored state fish. From the Cottonwood Pass Trailhead you can reach:Golden Trout Creek: Starts at the headwaters of Big Whitney Meadow and Rocky Basin Lakes. About 8 miles from the trailhead over No fish remain at Rocky Basin Lakes. next to the Kern River at 7,500. Cottonwood Creek main stem between mouth of Little Cottonwood Creek and South Fork of Cottonwood Creek. The golden trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss aguabonita) is a subspecies of the rainbow trout that is native to Golden Trout Creek, Volcano Creek and the South Fork Kern River. The creek has about 14 miles of fishable water from just below Rocky Basin Lakes at 10,500 feet to above Volcano Falls The paved road is usually open May through October. Naturally reproducing Golden Trout/Cutthroat Trout hybrids occur in Coon, Middle Deep Creek, and Lower Deep Creek lakes. Be sure to check out our full guide on Trout Fishing Tips. 13 of these fish were transported to Cottonwood Creek in 1876. It's interesting to note that these two streams are within 1/4 mile of each other and flow in opposite directions to the Main Kern and South Fork Kern within Tunnel Meadow. All the color was coming from Golden Trout Creek. 5.0 miles from trailhead. However, their populations have been imperiled since the early 1900s. Designated a Wild Trout Stream by DFG. May consists of Goldens but is now managed as "fishless" by DFG.Cottonwood 1: 7 acres at 11,000 feet. The contamination nullified the lakes as a source for pure strains of Goldens and pressure was created to open the lakes to fishing. The lakes had been off-limits to open at least one lake and 25 miles of stream each year. Good num- The SF Kern was directed eastward to the main river channel. However, during that 30 year period, Rainbow Trout made their way These two factors combined opened the lake system Off-road parking, picnic tables. on July 1st and ends November 15th. The California golden trout is closely related to two rainbow trout subspecies. And it is such a beautiful place, the pain of the hike in is totally worth it. It has been introduced in hundreds of lakes and streams outside the native range, though most of these populations did not last or hybridized with cutthroat trout and other subspecies of rainbow trout. These fish are native to the upper South Fork of the Kern River and Golden Trout Creek in the southern Sierra-Nevada Mountains of California and were historically found in about 450 miles of stream Detailed information on Golden Trout Creek's native California golden population along with a map and directions to access this remote Sierra Nevada stream can be purchased here. state since 1918. Cottonwood 3: 25 acres at 11,045 feet. High Lake: 6 acres at 11,500 feet. California golden trout Widely regarded as one of the most beautiful trout in the world. I just drove right up to the creek located at about 7000 ft elevation in my Jeep 4+4 and started to fish. It is typically found in the Golden Trout Creek, which is a tributary of the Kern River, the South Fork Kern River, and Volcano Creek, which is a tributary of Golden Trout Creek. SUBSCRIBE NOW $3 for 3 months. It is the ancestral home to the Volcano Creek Golden Trout and this particular area has the purist strains. The Longest Colorado River cutthroat trout (catch-and-release category): 14 inches caught by Brian Olsen at Current Creek Reservoir on Sept. 5. Only artificial lures with barbless hooks may be used. Unfortunately, pure Genetic strains within Cottonwood Lakes has been lost due Kern River Rainbows. Family Fishing Lake 2 ha. Lastly, they only reside in very remote high mountain pristine lakes. 5 miles from Trailhead. 4.6 miles from trailhead.Consists of Golden Hybrids. The golden trout is normally found in the Golden Trout Creek (tributary to the Kern River), Volcano Creek (tributary to Golden Trout Creek), and the South Fork Kern River. Most anglers know that golden trout are native to California (in fact, it’s the state fish) and are also stocked in Wyoming. Those fish are very small anyway. Mulkey Creek: About 5 miles from Cottonwood Trailhead over Mulkey Pass. The big myth about Golden Trout is that you have to go on some backbreaking hike to 11,000 ft to catch a Golden Trout. The aptly named Golden Trout Creek, a 9-mile tributary of the South Fork Kern River that starts in the High Sierra Nevada flows through the Golden Trout Creek Volcanic Fields, is a key location for California golden trout. No restrictions. : July 1 through Nov. 15. Golden Trout Creek was instrumental in providing the brood stock of most Goldens planted throughout All lakes and tributaries within the Cottonwood Drainage require artificial lures or flies with barbless The “ Golden Mile” of Clear Creek is a popular spot to fish for trout, including browns, brook, cuttbow, cutthroat, and rainbow. 4 volcanic centers have been identified at the Golden Trout Creek volcanic field. 10 trout in possession. Notes: Dry Flies:Parachute Adams #12Elk Hair Caddis #14-16Stimulator #12 Madam X #10-12 Royal Wulff #12, Nymph Flies:Pheasant Tail Nymph #14-18Gold Ribbed Hare's Ear #14-18Prince Nymph #14-18Bird's Nest #14-18Bird's Stonefly Nymph #8-10Copper John, Black #18-22, Streamer Flies:Muddler Minnow #8-10Woolly Bugger, Black or Olive #8-10. However it occurred, the planting of Golden Trout throughout many of the high elevation lakes during this period were from these contaminated sources, estimated to be 83-88% pure. Pictures don’t do them justice. Others believe that some accidental mixing with Rainbow Trout occurred at the Mt Whitney hatchery and the fingerlings were returned to Cottonwood Lakes. 10 trout in possession. forks that extend about 5 miles from 9700 feet to 8300 feet elevation. The Kern here and for some miles upstream is populated with good sized, feisty Kern River Rainbows who rose gladly to a well presented dry fly. Consists of Golden Hybrids.Cottonwood 4: 20 acres at 11,150 feet. Light leaders (usually 4 pound test or less) and a stalking approach are needed as the fish can see out of the lakes extremely well. Clear Creek in Golden offers fisherman of levels and abilities an award-winning fishing experience, only 15 minutes from downtown Denver with free parking and easy access. other from the Cottonwood Trail where the 6th lake is a more strenuous climb to 11,600'. The season begins Pine City native Keith Youngs was on a fishing trip to Stony Fork Creek Campground near Wellsboro when he hooked a hefty golden rainbow trout. trailhead (10,040'), it is a 4.5 mile hike to Cottonwood 1 at 11,008'. The creek has about 14 miles of fishable water from just below Rocky Basin Lakes at 10,500 feet to above Volcano Falls next to the Kern River at 7,500. Volcano Creek is a tributary into Golden Trout Creek above Volcano This spring, Pennsylvania will begin stocking streams and creeks with golden rainbow trout as part of a plan to release more "trophy" trout prized by anglers. 5.0 miles from trailhead. No restrictions. through Nov. 15. Planning a trip to Golden Trout Creek? At this point the fishing got rather good. The golden trout is California’s state freshwater fish. Cottonwood Creek between the confluence of Little Cottonwood Creek and the South Fork of Cottonwood Creek is also Catch & Release only. Join us as we discuss the California Fishing License options, fishing rules and fishing regulations. Golden Trout Creek, a large tributary of the upper main stem (North Fork) Kern River, supports a healthy population of the California golden trout. Golden Trout Creek, a large tributary of the upper main stem (North Fork) Kern River, supports a healthy population of the Get scientific based angling intel in The EcoAngler Report - Golden Trout Creek. Yet some very large trout come out this stream too.