California Heritage Trout
I'm officially two steps closer on my HTC quest (native trout in their historic drainages). I had the incredible opportunity over the last 6 days to go all the way from the Little Kern to the McCloud and hook up with not only some of the most spectacular scenery in all the country, but two of the fish I've been after.
I was incredibly impressed, not only with the size of the Little Kern goldens, but the fight. Wow, did I get schooled several times. These guys are amazing:
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And, you gotta admire the big dog attitude of this boy. Look at him compared to a #12 rubber legged stimulator. Ha!
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A number of fish came from this beautiful run on the Little Kern:
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Unfortunately, the handle on my water filtration pump broke off before I could get to the mainstem of the Kern. That meant I had to turn around 4 days early. It was lesson learned about having a water contingency plan. Fortunately, I was only 8 miles in from the trailhead. Had I been at the Kern, 20 miles in, I would have had some serious issues with water supply, because I'm an ultralight backpacker (I tend to carry just the bare essentials). Next time, I'll have my chemical water treatment supply with me. All that to say, I was fortunate to come across a cattle camp on my way in and out, so I could grab the water I needed from here:
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My plan had called for a 6-day trip both to the Little Kern and mainstem Kern. When I was forced to turn around I began thinking of how I could still go for some other HTC trout. Then, it hit me--McCloud river. I came back home, used a day to regroup and research, and headed north for the McCloud. I found a great campsite/basecamp and went after the McCloud River redband on Monday evening:
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And another redband:
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That was the farthest north I had ever been in California, so scenes like this were just amazing to me:
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Swimming holes like this gotta be fun:
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All the redbands are found ABOVE this dam (Lakin dam) on the McCloud. Amazing, when you think how long ago this was built:
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And my travels ended with a view of the lower falls of the McCloud. I can see why the native Americans called it "sacred water:"
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I just want to extend a great big thank you to so many of you who have helped me in my quest to become a fly fisherman. I started fishing at a very early age, but didn't pick up a fly rod until just over one year ago. Since then, I've had the unbelievable fortune of landing some of the most amazing and beautiful fish I've ever seen, traveled far and wide to drop a line in incredibly scenic waters, tied flies that actually attracted and caught fish, and spent time with people I would call "salt of the earth." I can't wait to see what's ahead.
John
