Bull trout restoration video from the Klamath

[aww skate skate]

https://youtu.be/HCELMTzTicQ

https://youtu.be/HCELMTzTicQ

[Lew Riffle]

Heck yah!.....U.S. Fish and Wild Life has made some headway theses past few years on some long time projects. This one is rather impressive in it's propriety and undertaking. Also of note locally was the return of the Paiute cuts back into Silver King Creek in the east Carson drainage this past August from a recluse population in the White Mountains there since the late 40's. These things take time and persistence mostly along with career killing passion.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

There are lots of these little projects going on.......thank God.

[Fly Guy Dave]

Also of note locally was the return of the Paiute cuts back into Silver King Creek in the east Carson drainage this past August from a recluse population in the White Mountains there since the late 40's. These things take time and persistence mostly along with career killing passion.

I've searched all over the USFW and CADFW sites and I haven't seen anything about the replanting of the Paiutes in SKC. What is your source for this info? I would love to see it!

[Lew Riffle]

I have been a part of the effort as a volunteer for some time and took part in the collection of fish. There was quite a bit of documentation so I suspect something will be some information forthcoming when the season winds down some into the winter.
In all think it was 87 fish. We collected on one day held the fish in the stream over night and then packed them out to a CDFW plant truck which drove up 395 to pack them up that same day into their new home above Llewellyn Falls. USFW,CDFW, and Inyo FS where the agencies involved. Hope it goes well for these little guys in their new home and native waters.

[Fly Guy Dave]

Aha! First hand knowledge is always the best, instead of third or fourth hand sources. I've been following the whole process closely and I was under the impression that they were going to give SKC plenty of time to "rest" to make sure that no non-pauites were left and then replant it. Since they were put above Llewellyn, perhaps that is still the case. I was assuming that they would re-stock with paiutes from SKC above Llewellyn and a couple of other tributaries in the area, not the population in the Whites. Interesting. No matter what, I will be very happy to fish for Paiutes again in SKC in the (hopefully) near future. Thanks for the info!

[Ned Morris]

Cautious optimism. Bull Trout evolved to be a top predator in what were once anadromous waters. Klamath Basin Bull Trout were no different than McCloud River Bull Trout with having access to a countless bounty of Steelhead and Salmon smolts. What is different here with aftermath of Dams is Klamath Bull Trout at least had access to more suitable spawning habitat (Sub 40 degree water) than the McCloud and certain populations such as this one did not have as wide as migration range. I'm sure some research was done but one of the big questions comes up is Non-Native Trout in the Wood River. Mostly native Redbands I assume but if there are any Brown Trout in there it will not be a good situation for these fish. The Klamath Basin Bull Trout population is endangered. CA DFG tried to restock some upper McCloud River tributaries (above McCloud Res.) with some of the Klamath Bull Trout back in 1990 and following year not one was ever seen again. Needless to say those fish will not be wasted again. These fish are special. I hope this succeeds.

[John Sv]

That's a question of mine as well. Not second guessing this resto but am curious as I've been involved with several restos around Truckee. Around here we fear brookie invasions. Isn't the Sprague loaded with brookies? Also, are we/they worried about bull outmigration followed by a seasonal thermal or low-water barrier blocking the migration back?
But I am rooting for stuff like this to be successful!