2011/ Colorado

[DUB]

I was able to start my fishing season yesterday on a very popular river here in Western Colorado. Normally I like to have my first trout caught in the first week of January. Brutal cold temps and work scheduled made that impossible and I had to settle for a few days later.
I did extremely well. The stars were aligned correctly, the fish had their feed bag on, and I had the proper fly and presentation.
I caught a mixed bag of Browns and Rainbows. If I had to guess I would have to say 50/50 proprtions. Thirty years ago on this same river the proportion of Browns to Bows would have been 90/10 with the Bows being the dominant species . At that time this river was a no stocking fisheries, with all trout being wild spawn. This was pryor to Whirling Disease.
With the advent of WD, and the decimation of the Rainbow populations in the mid to late 1980's the species proportion predictably swung to the Browns favor. I have no case studies, and I am by no means a fisheries bioligist, but for me, I would venture a guess that the proprtion of Browns to Bows caught was close to 95/5 Browns.
In 2004-2005 a strain of Rainbows from Germany were reintroduced to the Gunnison River. The strain was called the "Hofer" strain, and after spending nearly 100 years in WD infested waters of Germany, has developed a resistance to the WD parasite. There have been a few more stockings of this strain in the Gunnison since 2004-2005. Each time the fingerlings were stalked I would catch a bunch of "Cookie Cutter" Bows later in the year. After all, they are stockers and being hatchery fed/raised, they are a little dumb.
The last three trips for me to the Gunnison has produced large, fat, healthy Rainbows. I am assuming that they are wild spawn as none of their fins have been clipped.
The Colorado Division of Wildlife is claiming that the Rainbow population is reproducing in the Gunnison Gorge at a selfsustaining rate. I believe them.
Heres a look at the trout of the Gunnison River and what will hopefully be the way it stays in the future. Fat Rainbows, and mean Browns!








Heres a video with some decent Hofer strain info.


http://www.worldfishingnetwork.com/v...out-16936.aspx