Golden Trout

[Fishdog78]

I have read here and there that they used to stock Mountain lakes and streams with Golden Trout. But I dont show anything listing the Golden Trout as one of the species in these waters. Has anyone caught some Golden Trout lately or know the story about the Golden Trout in Utah?
[signature]

[Flycasting]

There used to be some in some of the Uintah Lakes, including Mirror Lake, but I haven't caught any for several years.
[signature]

[Fishdog78]

I read an old PDF file from the USFS where they described stocking some High Uinta Lakes with Golden Trout. I bet they havent stocked those for at least a few years or more. There could still be some around though, right? Yesterday up at Silver Flat in American Fork I caught a fish that was orange gold color, it was all orange around the belly, it looked like a brown because of the black and red spots but I think it might be a crossbreed, like a cutbow or something.
[signature]

[Flycasting]

I'm sure there are still a few up there. Golden's don't have too much gold in them, say like an albino. They have a brilliant redish side... Kind of hard to describe. If you can find a list of the lakes that had been planted with them, I am sure you could get one somewhere.

[img]file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/TYLERG%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/TEMP/moz-screenshot-1.jpg[/img]
[signature]

[IceRod]

Most of the Goldens in the Uintahs have been cross bred with brookies to the point that they are brookies. I say most because I have not fished all of the lakes in the Uintahs yet.

There are still some in the Wind Rivers but they would have to be in a lake that is isolated by a waterfall or something. They are very hard to find and the people in the know do not give away alot of information.

If you want true goldens the place to go would be Golden Trout Wilderness in the Sierras, I doubt you will be able to find one that is very big. Even in the park we are starting to see the loss of the pure species, the enviromental impact of humans is taking its toll.
[signature]

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Goldens hybridize with rainbows but not with brookies.[/#0000ff]
[signature]

[IceRod]

OK, I was wrong. The problem is that the brookies have overpopulated in most Uintah lakes to the point of stunting themselves. Choking out the goldens.
[signature]

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]That happened a lot in some of the California lakes, in the high Sierras. Brookies are hardier and more likely to spawn in the lakes than goldens. Goldens need streams and are not as hardy.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]There were many lakes where goldens were once plentiful but after a few years there were no pure strain goldens left when they crossed with the planted rainbows.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The world record golden, over 14 pounds, was caught many years ago in Cook Lake, in Wyoming. Today there are only cutts and a few stunted brookies there.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]As they have found in California (and Utah), goldens require lots of management and attention. They seem to have to have a lake all to themselves in order to survive. I have not heard of any active plantings in Utah for quite awhile.[/#0000ff]
[signature]

[HighUintas]

I think some of you guys are making stuff up. I've fished, hiked, and wrote trail guides and fishing guides about the High Uintas for over 30 years. I've never caught a Golden Trout, and don't know anyone personally that has. The only lake that may have Goldens is Echo Lake on the Duchesne River Drainage. I've tried it several times, but always end up with small brookies. Want Golden Trout? Head for the Wind Rivers lakes in Wyoming.
[signature]

[Fishdog78]

I have not caught a lot of things but I know there out there. You never know though. I know there are some Arctic Grayling up there and I plan on catching some. Im sure throughout the years the DWS has planted a wide variety of trout and other fishys.
[signature]

[Fish-Dog]

A few years ago I caught several golden trout in the stream below Echo Lake. They were fairly small, about 8 or 9 inches. I caught them on renegades and coachman flies.

fdg
[signature]

[Flycasting]

Glad I never bought one of your fishing guides...
[signature]

[kirklan]

I too have "heard" of small goldens in Echo. I believe there may still be some goldens left somewhere, but they probably are not pure strains. Goldens often hybridize with cutts also from what I understand.
[signature]