Putah Creek Fishing Report (Pics)

[Bob Laskodi]

Here is a little different fishing report on Putah Creek! Putah Creek is a very popular NorCal fishing water and is currently under consideration to be designated into the Wild Trout Program. Thanks in part to the efforts of Putah Creek Trout http://putahcreektrout.org/Welcome_.html , the DFG conducted an initial assessment survey (Phase 1) that Chris and I got to participate in. We helped to complete the first DFG electroshock and habitat assessment activity for Putah Creek and the scientific data collected will be used to hopefully desiginate Putah Creek as a Wild Trout Water. I highly recommend that you participate in one of these surveys for your local trout waters as I found it highly interesting and a lot of fun to boot! We sampled two different stretches of the creek and it was very interesting to see the number of fish vary widely in the different stretches. We collected a bit under 150 rainbow trout, and all were wild fish. Most were small, but the two largest fish went 7.5 and 4 pounds (and I now know exactly where they live!)!!! We also collected a similar amount of non-game fish such as riffle sculpins and sticklebacks.


Preparing the electroshock barge for the day


The goal is to form a line across the stream to find all the fish!!!


Gotta push the barge over lots of rocks and overhanging vegetation, Not very easy some times!!!


Shocking and netting activities underway


Sampling a small side channel for fish using a backpack electroshocker


The fish get placed into a "side car" for further data collection. Nothing more than a trash can with holes punched in it! My job was to haul the "side car" upstream in back of the "netters" who would drop the shocked fish into the "side car". Most of the fish were small, but a few larger fish were taken


All of the collected fish were then taken to the data stations for measuring, weighing, and data recording


Soothes human tummies, and also trout! The fish were first placed into a container that contained Alka Seltzer and water. This calms the fish a bit for handling for data collection.


They were then measured....


Yes, many tried to escape!!!


Bigger fish require many hands!!!


and then weighed on a gram scale while trying to keep them from jumping out. Quite challenging to weigh a fish in tenths of the grams while they flop around!


Bigger fish get weighed the old fashioned way!!!


And then they get their picture taken. I had the "tough" job of doing the pictures!!!


Selected fish get scale samples taken for later analysis


All the data needs to be recorded


Habitat in and around the stream also gets examined. A survey crew is measuring the sample area.


Unfortunately, big fish do not tolerate electroshocking sometimes. The dark band in the middle is a bruise caused by electroshocking.


Reviving a bigger fish. Smaller fish recover very quickly, but bigger fish require more TLC


Swimming away and hopefully going back home to be caught by me!

[Kneedeep]

Excellent post. Thanks and comendations on everyone's efforts promoting this as awild trout area.

[BobVP]

Thanks for the work and the report, both very valuable.

[Xnjb707X]

That is good to see the DFG getting involved. I know PCT has been doing alot to try to make healthy changes for the creek. It's good to see that the ball is rolling.


- Nic

[djwattswatts]

Were you able to do this with F and G

[Black Cloud]

Thanks Bob for putting up the pics, you beat me to the post. Eight people from Putah Creek Trout helped DFG do the survey on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. First time I've been on the creek an didn't fish.

James

[bclem81]

man if i knew there was going to be some good looking young ladies there i would have joined in. but i was fishing the LT for so some brown beauties instead, before the low flows. cant believe how far along its gotten. seemed like yesterday when this org was developed. now its just a matter of time that it will be designated.

[BigOkieWhiteBoy916]

man if i knew there was going to be some good looking young ladies there i would have joined in.

Cold shower my friend!

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Putah Creek has some big wild trout in it now due to catch-n-release regulations.

[Fly Guy Dave]

I helped out with that crew about five years ago. I was hauling around the "side car" (HEAVY!) and their rule was if you dropped it and the fish got out, you owed the crew a case of beer. Does that rule still apply? They didn't have that little pram when I helped out. That's a good idea! It was fun and quite informative and educational experience. Plus I can say on my best day of fishing, I helped catch around 200 trout.