Lahontan Cutts in The Sac Bee

[Fly Guy Dave]

An interesting and lengthy article about the Pilot Peak strain of Lahontan Cutthroats is in this mornings Sacramento Bee: http://www.sacbee.com/2013/05/05/5395583/big-trout-saved-from-close-call.html

[TyV]

Really nice article. For someone with little background, I loved the story and history. Thanks for sharing!!!!

[Mike O]

Next step? Reintroduce fish in all size classes into the big Truckee. Let them swim in the big river, where they also belong...

[SHigSpeed]

Next step? Reintroduce fish in all size classes into the big Truckee. Let them swim in the big river, where they also belong...
That would be sweet! C&R only maybe until they get a foothold? The spawning at Fallen Leaf was news to me. Sounds promising..

_SHig

[Mike O]

You know they will hybridize with the Bows there, proly never get their historical size back.

[SHigSpeed]

You know they will hybridize with the Bows there, proly never get their historical size back.
Yes, unfortunately true...

_SHig

[OceanSunfish]

Next step? Reintroduce fish in all size classes into the big Truckee. Let them swim in the big river, where they also belong...

I'm for being a bit patient..... let nature take its course. The fish can exit Pyramid and work their way upstream IF they find the river hospitable. It's the fish's call...... Sometimes forcing the issue with "mother nature" can backfire. For example, I was in favor allowing Davis Lake to completely refill before reintroducing fingerling numbers based on food supply at the time..... perhaps it would've prevented the Copepod outbreak and 'stunted' fish size....

I understand economics played a role in how and when, but to go through that much effort to rid the lake of Pike, then hastidly reintroduce fish and create Copepod outbreak?! I would've spent more time reintroducing the snails back into Davis Lake first........

[John Sv]

I think, but am not sure, that while a lot of the river is good habitat for residency or pass-through, but the inlet of the Truckee at Pyramid lake is a quasi barrier at the moment. I've read that they would have trouble getting past the inlet area and into the more suitable habitat.

[jigger]

Thanks so much for posting that. Great to read even more to the story. Love the part about the grassroots effort that eventually was responsible for the success. I've caught quite a few pilot strain and now I'm gonna gaze at each one with a deeper thankfulness before I let it go. Awesome fish. So fortunate

[Jimmie]

Its interesting the play and attention this is now getting. I guess its because of the larger fish now being caught at Pyramid. The story of the discovery of the Pilot Peak Cutthroats was related in Steve Raymond's 1985 book "The Year of The Trout" (nearly thirty years ago). I thought it was a fascinating story then when I first read it all those years ago. And it still is. Bottom line, though, it is a great thing to rediscover a species thought to be extinct and then being able to successfully propagate it. And of course on a selfish note, great for us flyfishers to have a shot at such large fish.

ps: "The Year of The Trout" is an excellent book and I highly recommend it if you can find it.

[SHigSpeed]

Its interesting the play and attention this is now getting. I guess its because of the larger fish now being caught at Pyramid. The story of the discovery of the Pilot Peak Cutthroats was related in Steve Raymond's 1985 book "The Year of The Trout" (nearly thirty years ago). I thought it was a fascinating story then when I first read it all those years ago. And it still is. Bottom line, though, it is a great thing to rediscover a species thought to be extinct and then being able to successfully propagate it. And of course on a selfish note, great for us flyfishers to have a shot at such large fish.

ps: "The Year of The Trout" is an excellent book and I highly recommend it if you can find it.

Thanks for the tip on the book. They're out there and available. Just ordered a new one for $7 shipped.

_SHig