Independence Lake CA

[troutdoorsman]

Last week I had the chance to take my kids for quite a hike along the shores of Inpendence Lake in Nor Cal to check out the Spawning Lahontan Cutthroats. The lake is now run by The Nature Conservancy and they have people that stay at the lake throughout the warm months to monitor the populations of the Cutty's and see how the Brookies are affecting the populations. It was a LONG and beautiful hike and only saw a couple of Cutty's but it was worth it none the less.

The lake from the trailhead. We went to the far end in the pic



The spawning creek

[MoscaPescador]

It seems like Independence Lake may be one of the few places to have a self sustaining Cutty population.

If all goes well, those little Brookies will become fish food for the Cutties.

Dennis

[troutdoorsman]

Last year they counted about 210 spawning cuttys and only around 160 this year. It sounds like they are going to start disposing of the brookies that swim through the gate at the inlet to help curb the damage to the cutty pop.

[milt spawn]

Nice shots TD. Are they using this lake for propagation? milt.

[MoscaPescador]

Brookies are like the Bluegill of the High Sierra. They just don't die. They multiply.

Great timing for a Brookie derby and fish fry.

Dennis

[troutdoorsman]

Milt I don't think so but I'm not 100% sure, Mosca that would be awesome!