fishalong
Well-known member
How rare are they? I catch them all the time in the higher elevations of Montana, no one ever knows what I'm talking about when I mention them though.
Golden Trout
- Thread starter fishalong
- Start date
cattech89
Well-known member
I know exactly what youre talking about. There are several rivers where the WVDNR stock quite a few golden. Since they are so visible and as a result are flogged by bait chuckers, they can be quite tricky to catch during certain times of the year.
Got any Pics? Id love to see how large they get out there.
Got any Pics? Id love to see how large they get out there.
kglissmeyer1
Well-known member
There is a (seemingly) common misconception that yellow-colored trout are "Golden" Trout. I guess it's an easy mistake to make, but I wouldn't disrespect the pure Golden Trout found in high lakes and streams with the hatchery hybrids of a Rainbow Trout that are yellow in coloration (we call them "Banana Trout").
Here are some pics to help with the identification:
These are true Golden Trout, native to California, as well as some other remote places:
These are Non-Golden Trout, not native to any waters as they are hatchery bred and planted in your local waters for put-and-take harvest:
Here is my first Banana Trout, which I caught this summer in a local pond:
Kelly.
Here are some pics to help with the identification:
These are true Golden Trout, native to California, as well as some other remote places:
These are Non-Golden Trout, not native to any waters as they are hatchery bred and planted in your local waters for put-and-take harvest:
Here is my first Banana Trout, which I caught this summer in a local pond:
Kelly.
cattech89
Well-known member
That is really interesting Kelly. Thanks for the clarification.
Here is the description from WV DNR website. I found it interesting that it mentions that WV golden trout are NOT true golden trout.
Family: Salmonidae
Common Family: The Trout Family
Common Name: Golden Rainbow Trout
Scientific Name: Oncorhynchus mykiss, color variant
Identification:
Golden rainbow trout are a deep gold or yellow in body color, with pinkish lower fins, pink or red-tones on their cheeks and a reddish lateral stripe. There is no spotting on the body.
Range and Habitat:
The West Virginia Centennial golden trout was developed in West Virginia as a color mutation of rainbow trout in 1963. Several other states in the eastern portion of North America have developed a golden rainbow trout in a similar manner. This should not to be confused with the true golden trout, Oncorhynchus aguabonita, which is found only in California. Golden rainbow trout can be found in most of the larger waters of the state that receive trout stockings.
Fishing Facts:
Most anglers find the golden rainbow trout difficult to catch. Golden rainbow trout are very calm fish, many times ignoring attempts to entice them to bite. The bright golden color makes their presence more obvious, drawing more angler attention. When one considers that fewer golden rainbow trout are stocked, representing about 5 % of the total amount, then one can see that the angling of a golden rainbow trout can be a unique experience.
Here is the description from WV DNR website. I found it interesting that it mentions that WV golden trout are NOT true golden trout.
Family: Salmonidae
Common Family: The Trout Family
Common Name: Golden Rainbow Trout
Scientific Name: Oncorhynchus mykiss, color variant
Identification:
Golden rainbow trout are a deep gold or yellow in body color, with pinkish lower fins, pink or red-tones on their cheeks and a reddish lateral stripe. There is no spotting on the body.
Range and Habitat:
The West Virginia Centennial golden trout was developed in West Virginia as a color mutation of rainbow trout in 1963. Several other states in the eastern portion of North America have developed a golden rainbow trout in a similar manner. This should not to be confused with the true golden trout, Oncorhynchus aguabonita, which is found only in California. Golden rainbow trout can be found in most of the larger waters of the state that receive trout stockings.
Fishing Facts:
Most anglers find the golden rainbow trout difficult to catch. Golden rainbow trout are very calm fish, many times ignoring attempts to entice them to bite. The bright golden color makes their presence more obvious, drawing more angler attention. When one considers that fewer golden rainbow trout are stocked, representing about 5 % of the total amount, then one can see that the angling of a golden rainbow trout can be a unique experience.
milt spawn
Well-known member
They dump these frankenfish in some ceement ponds out here and call them "Lightning Trout" so as not to slander the real Golden Trout. They are triploid and thankfully unable to reproduce, and only stocked in certain places by private enterprises. milt.
HuronRiverDan
Well-known member
We always called the yellow variants Palominos...
Dan
Dan
kglissmeyer1
Well-known member
Sounds like these bad boys are all over the place. When I say "we" call them banana trout, I mean myself and those I fish with. The Idaho DWR dumped about 10,000 of them in my favorite new stillwater destination where we caught hog rainbows and some really good brookies. The ones they planted were about 10-inches long, and their size, combined with the color reminded us of swimming bananas. Because of their triploid nature, as well as their inability to reproduce, they claim they will grow to massive sizes, extremely fast, so, perhaps next season they will be competing with the bows 
, such is life.
Kelly.
, such is life.Kelly.
Frank Whiton
Most Senior Member
Hi Everyone,
I use to catch California Golden Trout in the high Sierras. I had one spot that was about a three/four hour hike from the trail head. This spot was at a falls and above the falls were pure Golden's and below the falls a mix of Golden and Hybrids. The Kern River drainage was the home of Golden Trout but my fish were North of there. This was in the fifties and I hope they are still there. It is unfortunate that Rainbows have been planted in the wrong places and California Golden Trout are now endangered. Here is an article with some good information.
The Golden Trout in the Wyoming high mountains are imports from California and are true Golden Trout except for the hybrids.
Frank
I use to catch California Golden Trout in the high Sierras. I had one spot that was about a three/four hour hike from the trail head. This spot was at a falls and above the falls were pure Golden's and below the falls a mix of Golden and Hybrids. The Kern River drainage was the home of Golden Trout but my fish were North of there. This was in the fifties and I hope they are still there. It is unfortunate that Rainbows have been planted in the wrong places and California Golden Trout are now endangered. Here is an article with some good information.
The Golden Trout in the Wyoming high mountains are imports from California and are true Golden Trout except for the hybrids.
Frank
fishalong
Well-known member
Interesting Kgl. I've read that real golden trout 'do best' in elevations around 7 - 10,000 feet. The ones I catch are def. the native kind, and I haven't caught any that are longer then 12", but they sure are fun. There is a few small ponds high up in the Gallatin Canyon that carry them. When the hatches are out, and the sun hits the water just right all you see is gold flashes in swarms.
Frank, I don't know about importing from California, these are some small ponds that are miles and miles away from anything. What would the benefit of stocking mountain ponds be? (That's not a rhetorical question I actually am curious.)
I'll look around for a picture or two.
Frank, I don't know about importing from California, these are some small ponds that are miles and miles away from anything. What would the benefit of stocking mountain ponds be? (That's not a rhetorical question I actually am curious.)
I'll look around for a picture or two.
Frank Whiton
Most Senior Member
Hi fishalong,
The Golden Trout in Wyoming came from California. I don't know about the Golden Trout in Montana. Wyoming has hatcheries for Golden Trout and it would not be a stretch for Montana to get them from Wyoming.
Most remote lakes that have Trout of any kind come form plantings. For years the High Sierra lakes were planted by pack horse. They the discovered that Trout could be planted by air drops from planes. At least that is how California did it in the 50's. Remote lakes are planted for the thousands of hikers who visit and fish there.
According to the Wyoming Game and Fish, their Golden Trout is also Oncorhynchus aguabonita which is the California Golden Trout.
Frank
The Golden Trout in Wyoming came from California. I don't know about the Golden Trout in Montana. Wyoming has hatcheries for Golden Trout and it would not be a stretch for Montana to get them from Wyoming.
Most remote lakes that have Trout of any kind come form plantings. For years the High Sierra lakes were planted by pack horse. They the discovered that Trout could be planted by air drops from planes. At least that is how California did it in the 50's. Remote lakes are planted for the thousands of hikers who visit and fish there.
According to the Wyoming Game and Fish, their Golden Trout is also Oncorhynchus aguabonita which is the California Golden Trout.
Frank
Bigfly
Well-known member
Once again, Frank's on it.
In CA. on the headwaters of the Kern river, is the golden trout wilderness.
There is a series of lakes that are used for brooding.
Below the high lakes on the west side of a low pass, is a place called Big Whitney meadows.
Don't everyone go at once, but it is an awesome place to visit.
The watershed is intact, and loaded with'em. These are the original strain.
Lower on the watershed, below a weir, there are hybrid Gold-bows.
Some of the more remote lakes have some larger ones, but most are smallish and very easy to catch. Pound for pound (or oz.) they are the hardest fighting trout I've met.
6" feels like 8-9, 12" feels like 15.
They live up to their Latin name too!
Jim
In CA. on the headwaters of the Kern river, is the golden trout wilderness.
There is a series of lakes that are used for brooding.
Below the high lakes on the west side of a low pass, is a place called Big Whitney meadows.
Don't everyone go at once, but it is an awesome place to visit.
The watershed is intact, and loaded with'em. These are the original strain.
Lower on the watershed, below a weir, there are hybrid Gold-bows.
Some of the more remote lakes have some larger ones, but most are smallish and very easy to catch. Pound for pound (or oz.) they are the hardest fighting trout I've met.
6" feels like 8-9, 12" feels like 15.
They live up to their Latin name too!
Jim
They made a trophy section of a river here in NC and stock some palamino's in it with the 'bows and browns.
In talking with the fisheries manager he said he'll no longer stock the palamino's, they only last a max of 10 days. They're easy pickin' for osprey and otters. Some will miss them because they use them as indicators knowing that when you spy a palamino there are many others rainbow's and brown's likely hanging around them.
In talking with the fisheries manager he said he'll no longer stock the palamino's, they only last a max of 10 days. They're easy pickin' for osprey and otters. Some will miss them because they use them as indicators knowing that when you spy a palamino there are many others rainbow's and brown's likely hanging around them.
db cooper
Well-known member
If i saw one of those yellow things i think i would cut the line and run away! I have never seen anything like that!!!
I think the general rule for true Golden trout.. is 9,000+ feet in elevation. In California, almost all in the Kern watershed as noted above.
You can drive very close to them from the East side of Sierras, on the West - you're usually hiking.
You can drive very close to them from the East side of Sierras, on the West - you're usually hiking.