Dolly Varden / Bull Trout

[Tony Buzolich]

Frank just started a good query about salmon and steelhead in the Mc Cloud on a post below but some how turned into Darian's Dolly Varden thing.

In any case, I went to Wikipedia and Olai's Sierra Trout Fishing and learned about how the Dolly Varden got it's name. Neat story about a little girl whose parents ran a lodge at Upper Soda Springs on the Upper Sacramento River. They used to call this fish a calico trout but didn't think it was a good name because of how beautiful it was in its spawning colors. The little girl said it should be named Dolly Varden as it was like her Dolly Varden dress with so much color.

Frank, isn't there an area just below Dunsmuir that is called Soda Springs or Soda Canyon exit off I-5?
Tony

[Ned Morris]

Did they mention how the Dolly Varden (Called at the time) was totally vilified for Salmon Smolt predation in the 20's and 30's on the McCloud? Bull Trout on the McCloud actually did eek out a meager existence on the Lower McCloud even after the construction of Shasta Dam. However they did not adapt well being that they evolved as a fluvial population but managed to hang on for another 25 more years feeding on the Trout (probably the dumb planters). The construction of McCloud Dam in 1965 was the nail in the coffin. McCloud Dam blocked all access to spawning up to Lower Falls. Where that dam was placed was simply a death sentence to any fluvial fishery. They may establish another population above Lake McCloud one day...but Hearst Corp. will make it very difficult to say the least.

[lynnwhite44]

There is a book called "Shasta Headwaters", written by Craig Bellanger, who grew up in McCloud, Ca. It's a great book to learn about the history of the upper Sac and the McCloud rivers. I had the opportunity to fish with Craig in the early 90's. He is a very interesting person and very knowledgeable about the area. In fact, I noticed he is in the Pit River video that Bill just posted in this forum. His web site is: http://www.craigballenger.com/index.html

[Frank Alessio]

Tony... There is a turn off the freeway called Soda Creek (pronounced crick) south of town...Upper Soda Springs is in North Dunsmuir down under the I-5 Bridge... It was the original Stage Coach stop way back when... Not far from the Brick house that belonged to my first grade teacher Mrs. Mason ( might of been spelled Masson ) There is a path up the hill a short way to a rock fountain where you used to be able to get a drink of mineral water...My Dad said when he was a Kid there was a bottling company that added flavoring to the mineral water and sold it as Soda Pop...Frank