HTC Hat Trick with a Redband Double (long)

[jburge]

You know, we are incredibly fortunate here in CA. I had the recent opportunity to visit some pretty remote waters, gaze at some absolutely stunning scenery, and pick up three glorious little trouts for the Heritage Trout Challenge.

It started with an HTC clinic put on by the CA DFG. (Hey Bill, I'm pretty sure I signed up at their booth at your spring expo.) Jeff Weaver and Stephanie Mehalick, both from the Heritage and Wild Trout Program, presented the clinic to six of us on Thursday, July 18. We (from all over CA) met WAY up north near the state line and overlooking Goose Lake. Jeff and Stephanie did a fantastic job of introducing us to the history of not only the Goose Lake and Warner Lakes Redband fish, but also the geology of the land and the conservation efforts that are in place to protect these resources.

I can't say enough about the clinic. If you have the time, I'd highly encourage participation. It's completely free, and all you have to do is show up. You're responsible for all your own travel, accommodations, and fishing gear, but what you walk away with is a wealth of knowledge and respect for our heritage fisheries. Jeff mentioned they're doing a Lahontan Cutthroat clinic on July 24 and an Eagle Lake Rainbow clinic later in the year (he didn't have a specific date). PM me if you'd like contact information.

After an initial hour or so of information gathering and note taking (I have a notebook full), we headed up the dirt road to one of the few available tributaries to pick up the Warner Lakes Redband. And yep, I passed right by the famous shack that seems to show up in every report about the WL Redband, but no I didn't get a pic. Once we arrived at the "swamp," we broke up and spread out. I knew it was going to be a great trip when, I kid you not, I just peeked over some grass, literally dropped the fly in the water (no casting here), and it was fish on. Grabbed the pic and it was one goal achieved for this year's challenge.

After lunch at a small local lake (one of the highlights was a bald eagle soaring about 30 feet overhead), we headed over to one of the tributaries for Goose Lake. We spent some time looking over the restoration efforts for this little creek, talking about what has worked, what hasn't, and what some possible alternatives are. We then headed several miles further upstream, where once again we spread out and tried our luck for the Goose Lake Redband. In pretty short order, it was another heritage trout on. Eventually, everybody had to leave, but since I was camped in the woods not too far away, I fished until dark.

The following day I drove back to Sac, got cleaned up (a little), reorganized my backpacking gear and headed up the hill to see if I could land a stream version Lahontan. I left the house early Saturday, arrived at the trailhead just after 10:00 a.m., backpacked in and setup camp, and was fishing by 1:00 p.m. Some of you know this place really well :-) Fortunately, it didn't take too long to land my first fish.

I had three goals for the HTC this year--the WL and GL Redbands, and the little Lahontan. Little did I realize I would be able to realize the entire dream in one extended weekend. It was just over 1,100 miles of driving, about 12 miles of hiking, great people, and the sense that we're all very, very, lucky to have this kind of grandeur in our own backyard.

Driving around up north:

http://takeahike.us.com/places/redband_lahontan/IMG_4378.JPG

Warner Lakes tributary creek:

http://takeahike.us.com/places/redband_lahontan/IMG_4389.JPG

Warner Lakes Redband:

http://takeahike.us.com/places/redband_lahontan/IMG_4392.JPG

Creek-side view:

http://takeahike.us.com/places/redband_lahontan/IMG_4401.JPG

Goose Lake Redband:

http://takeahike.us.com/places/redband_lahontan/IMG_4402.JPG

So, would you fish here until dark?

http://takeahike.us.com/places/redband_lahontan/IMG_4406.JPG

On the trail to a Lahontan:

http://takeahike.us.com/places/redband_lahontan/IMG_4469.JPG

Lahontan Cutt:

http://takeahike.us.com/places/redband_lahontan/IMG_4471.JPG

Adios:

http://takeahike.us.com/places/redband_lahontan/IMG_4473.JPG

Try casting up here. I saw a little guy just sipping away and was EXTREMELY lucky to get a cast far enough upstream to set up a good dead drift, and... fish on ;-)

http://takeahike.us.com/places/redband_lahontan/IMG_4480.JPG

Sierras in July:

http://takeahike.us.com/places/redband_lahontan/IMG_4484.JPG

I call him "beastie boy":

http://takeahike.us.com/places/redband_lahontan/IMG_4487.JPG

Snow in July:

http://takeahike.us.com/places/redband_lahontan/IMG_4491.JPG

Cheers!

John

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Thanks John.......great information.

[SHigSpeed]

Amazing to think those little Lahontans are related to the brutes in Pyramid.

Very cool to hear you got the lake redband deuce. I really want to get those later this year. Plus, the DFG seminars sound too good to pass up! PM me any info you have (on the redband adventure and the DFG stuff if you don't mind :) ).

I'll also have to get up to the "meadow" to get me the river strain LCT, nab an Eagle, coastal 'cutt, and finally a true steelie to get my HTC (damn, I'd better get to it!).

Gonna take a lot of gas and sick days to get 'er done...

Thanks for sharing!

_SHig

[Scott V]

Great report John, one ofthese days I am going to have to skip work and join you.

[jwholmesjr]

The six of us who took advantage to the DFG seminar were well rewarded. One of the trip leaders, Jeff Weaver, was at Keine's signing people up during the Expo so if you gave him your name, he has sent or will send on a first come, first serve basis info for these seminars. I have an article in the GBF Leader this month also!