Take CalTrout's quiz to find out what kind of California native fish you are.

Quiz Questions

• 1.
  What part of California do you love most?

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  • A.
    Redwood forests
  • B.
    Napa Valley Wine Country
  • C.
    Lake Tahoe
  • D.
    Yosemite and Eastern Sierras
  • E.
    Southern California beaches
  • F.
    Santa Cruz
• 2.
  What type of movie do you prefer?

  • A.
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    Action Adventure
  • B.
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    Romance
  • C.
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    Classic
  • D.
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    Comedy
  • E.
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    Documentary
• 3.
  Which color most appeals to you?

  • A.
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    Turquoise 
  • B.
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    Pink
  • C.
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    Silver
  • D.
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    Gold
  • E.
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    Rainbow
• 4.
  Where would you like to vacation?

  • A.
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    Venice Beach
  • B.
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    New York City
  • C.
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    The Swiss Alps
  • D.
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    English Countryside
• 5.
  Do you prefer to 'go with the flow' or have a set plan?

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  • A.
    I'm a 'go with the flow' type.
  • B.
    I can be flexible, but it depends on the situation.
  • C.
    I make plans and stick to them. 
• 6.
  How tall are you?

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  • A.
    5'3" and below
  • B.
    5'4"-5'8" 
  • C.
    5'9"-6' 
  • D.
    6'1" and above
• 7.
  Do you like to travel?

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  • A.
    Yes! I want to explore far away places
  • B.
    A bit, but I usually don't go too far.
  • C.
    Not really, I prefer to stick close to home.
• 8.
  Which season do you like most?

  • A.
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    Summer
  • B.
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    Autumn
  • C.
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    Winter
  • D.
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    Spring

Quiz Outcomes

• 1.
  California Coast Chinook Salmon

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  You are the California Coast Chinook salmon! Oncorhynchus tshawytscha Level of Concern: High California Trout and UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences recently released SOS II: Fish in Hot Water, a report on the status of all 32 types of salmon, steelhead, and trout in California. Click on the report cover to learn more about our fish and the 31 other California native species and their status. California Coast (CC) Chinook are all fall–run salmon, they typically return to their natal rivers after spending two or three years at sea between September and early November, often following large early winter storms. The CC Chinook evolutionary significant unit (ESU) includes salmon that spawn in coastal watersheds from Redwood Creek (Humboldt County) to the Russian River (Sonoma County). In general, small coastal streams within this range can support CC Chinook salmon as long as they have open estuaries during peak migration times (fall through spring). In the Eel River watershed, CC Chinook salmon could historically access habitat up to natural boulder roughs on the upper mainstem Eel River, but they are currently blocked from accessing this habitat by Scott Dam and Lake Pillsbury (Lake County). California Coastal Chinook salmon are vulnerable to extinction in the next 50-100 years if coastal stream conditions continue to deteriorate. From 2012-2016, poor ocean conditions, historic drought, record high temperatures, and exploding marijuana cultivation have had significant negative impacts on CC Chinook salmon, so much so that the National Marine Fisheries Service concluded that endangered status was likely in the future. Climate change is likely to lead to increased temperatures and reduced snowpack in the headwaters of the Eel River, which will make managing the release of cold water from dams and reservoirs to support salmonids even more difficult in the future.
• 2.
  Central Valley Fall-run Chinook Salmon

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  You are the Central Valley fall-run Chinook salmon! Oncorhynchus tshawytschaLevel of Concern: High California Trout and UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences recently released SOS II: Fish in Hot Water, a report on the status of all 32 types of salmon, steelhead, and trout in California. Click on the report cover to learn more about your fish and the 31 other California native species and their status. Central Valley fall-run Chinook salmon historically spawned in all major Central Valley rivers from the Upper Sacramento, McCloud, and Pit rivers (Siskiyou County) in the north to the Kings River (King County) in the south. Today, they are restricted to a small fraction of their historical habitat by dams in every major river in the Central Valley. Adult CV fall-run Chinook salmon return to fresh water in late summer and early fall, and spawn relatively quickly after reaching spawning grounds in mainstem rivers. Spawning peaks from October-November. Fall-run Chinook salmon make up the largest run in the Central Valley today, and once supported robust commercial and recreational fisheries in the Pacific Ocean and fresh water. Due to low adult returns, the fishery has either been closed or restricted every year since 2008. Most returning adult fall-run Chinook salmon are from hatcheries today, with only a few streams in the northern portion of Sacramento Valley sustaining wild runs. Since their population is largely supported by hatcheries, this results in significant ecological and genetic impacts to the sustainability of the run. CV fall-run Chinook salmon are highly vulnerable to climate change impacts. As precipitation patterns change and warmer stream temperatures become more common, managers will struggle to maintain cold water releases from dams during summer and fall months to sustain them. Similarly, as temperatures in the Pacific Ocean increase over time, growth and survival of all salmonids at sea is likely to be reduced.
• 3.
  Central Valley Spring-run Chinook Salmon

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  You are the Central Valley spring-run Chinook salmon! Oncorhynchus tshawytschaLevel of Concern: Critical California Trout and UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences recently released SOS II: Fish in Hot Water, a report on the status of all 32 types of salmon, steelhead, and trout in California. Click on the report cover to learn more about your fish and the 31 other California native species and their status. Central Valley (CV) spring-run Chinook salmon historically ranged throughout all major snowmelt tributaries of both the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers, including the Pit River (Modoc County) and the headwaters of the San Joaquin River in the south (Fresno County). Today, only the mainstem Sacramento River and Butte (Butte County), Mill, and Deer creeks (Tehama County) maintain wild spring-run Chinook. Spring-run Chinook salmon migrate upstream during high runoff events starting in January or February. High flows, especially from snowmelt, allow adults to access higher elevation, smaller tributaries in April through June that are generally inaccessible to salmon at other times of the year. Adults seek out deep, cool pools in tributary streams less than 21°C (70°F) where these big fish hold over the summer before spawning in the fall. They prefer pools with plenty of cover, such as rock ledges, bubble curtains, and woody debris. Small, self-sustaining populations remain in only a few watersheds. Populations of CV spring-run Chinook plummeted during the drought (2012-2016), primarily as a result of high pre-spawn mortality of over-summering adults and eggs associated with reduced streamflows and high water temperatures. CV spring-run Chinook salmon are critically vulnerable to climate change due to their reliance on cold spring water and snowmelt to sustain them through warm summer months in holding pools. Click the button below to learn more about your fish.
• 4.
  Sacramento River Winter-run Chinook Salmon

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  You are the Sacramento winter-run Chinook salmon! Oncorhynchus tshawytschaLevel of Concern: Critical California Trout and UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences recently released SOS II: Fish in Hot Water, a report on the status of all 32 types of salmon, steelhead, and trout in California. Click on the report cover to learn more about your fish and the 31 other California native species and their status. Sacramento River winter-run Chinook salmon evolved in stable, cold, spring-fed streams in high elevation headwaters. Adults enter fresh water as sexually immature fish from January to May, with a peak in mid-March. Fry emerge from redds from July to mid-October and juveniles feed for five to 10 months before migrating downstream in January through April during the first high flows of the rainy season, moving mostly at night to avoid predators. Winter-run juveniles appear to occupy fresh water year-round, and generally prefer temperatures between 10-16°C (50-61°F). Historically, winter-run Chinook salmon runs likely numbered around 200,000 spawning adults per year and were able to migrate to the headwaters of the Sacramento, Pit, and McCloud rivers. All historical spawning habitat is now upstream of major dams. They face immediate risk of extinction. The one remaining population spawns in the mainstem Sacramento River immediately downstream of Keswick Dam near Redding. They are wholly dependent on artificially-created spawning habitat and cold water releases from Shasta Reservoir. Multiple critically dry years (2012-2016) in a row during the drought reduced the amount of cold water available for release from Shasta Reservoir. Warm water releases drastically reduced winter-run egg and juvenile survival and have likely devastated the population. Sacramento River winter-run Chinook salmon are critically vulnerable to climate change due to their highly restricted range, dependence on cold water releases from Shasta Dam, and low tolerance for high stream temperatures. Their migration and egg hatching timing during the warmest months of the year make them particularly vulnerable to increasing stream temperatures.
• 5.
  Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast Chinook Salmon

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  You are the Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast Chinook salmon! Oncorhynchus tshawytschaLevel of Concern: Moderate California Trout and UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences recently released SOS II: Fish in Hot Water, a report on the status of all 32 types of salmon, steelhead, and trout in California. Click on the report cover to learn more about your fish and the 31 other California native species and their status. Southern Oregon/Northern California Coastal (SONCC) Chinook range from the Elk River, Oregon to the Klamath River’s confluence with the Trinity River. The majority of SONCC Chinook are found in Oregon streams. In California, they are found in the Smith River, Wilson Creek, and a few tributaries of the lower Klamath River such as Blue Creek. SONCC Chinook generally migrate upstream to natal rivers in fall months (September-December) in the Klamath River and late-fall (November-December) in the Smith River to spawn. Spawning typically peaks in December. Chinook use larger cobbles to build their redds than other salmon species. Juvenile SONCC Chinook often spend at least a few months in fresh water feeding and growing before undertaking taxing ocean migrations. They emerge from the lower Klamath tributaries starting in February and migrate downstream through July on their journey to the sea. SONCC Chinook salmon in California are limited to only a few watersheds, but populations remain stable. They are vulnerable to natural events such as fires, earthquakes, or floods due to their small population size and limited range. Fall-run is least vulnerable to climate change as they spawn later and scouring of redds is less likely to influence juveniles, though sea level rise will likely negatively affect rearing in estuaries. Click the button below to read more about your fish.
• 6.
  Upper Klamath-Trinity Rivers Fall-run Chinook Salmon

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  You are the Upper Klamath-Trinity Rivers fall-run Chinook salmon! Oncorhynchus tshawytschaLevel of Concern: Moderate California Trout and UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences recently released SOS II: Fish in Hot Water, a report on the status of all 32 types of salmon, steelhead, and trout in California. Click on the report cover to learn more about your fish and the 31 other California native species and their status. Upper Klamath-Trinity Rivers (UKTR) Chinook salmon are found in all major tributaries of the Klamath River upstream of the Klamath-Trinity rivers confluence. UKTR fall-run Chinook are sexually mature fish that enter the Klamath Estuary during late summer to early fall and spawn shortly after reaching their natal spawning grounds. In general, UKTR Chinook spawning adults are smaller, more rounded, and heavier in proportion to their length compared to Central Valley Chinook due to their shorter migrations. Today, they are part a component of commercial, recreational, and tribal subsistence fisheries. Adult UKTR fall-run Chinook salmon enter the Klamath Estuary from early July through September, and slowly migrate upstream from mid-July to October as temperatures decrease. Spawning can occur over several months depending on the tributary, but generally peak between November and December. UKTR fall-run Chinook are not in immediate danger of extinction, although their numbers have declined in recent decades. There appears to be an increasing reliance on hatcheries to maintain fisheries, and returns of hatchery-origin fish may be masking a decline of wild production in the Klamath-Trinity Basin. Their top 3anthropogenic threats are major dams, mining activities, and hatcheries. Warm water temperatures in fall months are a substantial threat to salmon in the lower Klamath River, and are likely to continue to rise and exacerbate problems with disease outbreaks and die-offs. Climate change will reduce reliability of cold water pool behind the Klamath dams, which must be removed to promote migration of salmon, steelhead, and trout and allow them to access cold water habitat upstream. Click the button below to learn more about your fish.
• 7.
  Upper Klamath-Trinity Rivers Spring-run Chinook Salmon

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  You are the Upper Klamath-Trinity Rivers spring-run Chinook salmon! Oncorhynchus tshawytschaLevel of Concern: Critical California Trout and UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences recently released SOS II: Fish in Hot Water, a report on the status of all 32 types of salmon, steelhead, and trout in California. Click on the report cover to learn more about your fish and the 31 other California native species and their status. Upper Klamath-Trinity Rivers (UKTR) spring-run Chinook salmon were once widely disbursed throughout tributaries of the Klamath River upstream of the Trinity River confluence. The construction of dams on the Klamath (Iron Gate), Shasta (Dwinnell), and Trinity (Lewiston) rivers block access to their historical spawning grounds. While small numbers of adults return to a handful of streams each year, only the South Fork Trinity and Salmon rivers support self-sustaining populations with little hatchery influence. Historical runs of UKTR spring-run Chinook likely totaled more than 100,000 fish annually. Over the last decade, average annual estimates have averaged less than 2,000 adults. Adult UKTR spring-run Chinook salmon enter the Klamath Estuary from March through July. They can migrate up to 2.2 mi. a day, and reach the Trinity River from May through August. Adults require deep, cool holding pools to over-summer, such as the mouths of tributaries and areas with subsurface flow from springs or groundwater seeps. UKTR spring-run Chinook salmon enter fresh water as silvery, immature fish. They lack the breeding colors or kype of fall-run males. Small, self-sustaining populations remain primarily in the Salmon and South Fork Trinity rivers, where they are highly vulnerable to climate change, hybridization with hatchery-origin fish, and other stressors. Climate change is likely the greatest threat to the long-term persistence of UKTR spring-run Chinook salmon due to anticipated increases in summer water temperatures and decreases in availability of cold water refuges for holding adults in summer. Removal of dams on the Klamath River is critical to allow spring-run fish back into cold headwaters of the Klamath basin. Click the button below to learn more about your fish.
• 8.
  Central California Coast Coho Salmon

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  You are the Central California Coast Coho Salmon! Oncorhynchus kisutchLevel of Concern: Critical California Trout and UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences recently released SOS II: Fish in Hot Water, a report on the status of all 32 types of salmon, steelhead, and trout in California. Click on the report cover to learn more about your fish and the 31 other California native species and their status. Central California Coast (CCC) Coho salmon historically ranged in coastal streams from Punta Gorda (Humboldt County) to the San Lorenzo River and likely Soquel and Aptos creeks (Santa Cruz County). Over the last several decades, some populations of CCC Coho have been lost from streams ranging from Santa Cruz to Marin counties, though there has also been some increased dispersal through stocking. Almost all the remaining streams containing CCC Coho salmon have populations less than 100 spawning adults per year, unless enhanced through hatcheries. All populations are small, isolated, and may function independently. Timing of streamflows is critically important to CCC Coho salmon, which need cold water at specific times to support successful spawning and juvenile survival. Juveniles generally feed and grow in slow-moving, off-channel habitats, small, clear tributaries, and estuaries before undertaking ocean migrations in the spring. Once at sea, Coho from different regions school together as they migrate to the North Pacific to feed on small fish, shrimp, crabs, and invertebrates before returning to spawn after 6-18 months. CCC Coho salmon are identical in appearance and habits to Southern Oregon Northern California Coast (SONCC) Coho to the north. They can only be distinguished by differences in geographic range and genetics. Most or all Central California Coast Coho salmon populations in small coastal streams will become extinct in the next 50 years without significantly increased intervention and protection of watersheds. All populations require intervention to persist and most have intensive management in place or proposed. Coho are generally among the most sensitive salmonids to environmental conditions. Climate change could push CCC Coho to extinction in California, as it is predicted to increase stream temperatures, create variability in streamflow (including greatly reduced summer flows), and change ocean conditions that dictate CCC Coho salmon growth and survival. Click the button below to learn more about your fish.
• 9.
  Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast Coho Salmon

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  You are the Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast Coho salmon! Oncorhynchus kisutchLevel of Concern: Critical California Trout and UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences recently released SOS II: Fish in Hot Water, a report on the status of all 32 types of salmon, steelhead, and trout in California. Click on the report cover to learn more about your fish and the 31 other California native species and their status. Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast (SONCC) Coho salmon are distributed widely across the North Pacific, from northern Japan to California. Here, they’re found in the Rogue River (Oregon) to the Mattole River (Mendocino County). Coho have strong homing instincts to their natal rivers, and so populations from neighboring streams are closely related to one another. Spawning migrations begin in September through late-December in Northern California, with a peak in October-November, while spawning occurs mostly in November and December. In some years, spawning can occur as late as March in some watersheds, especially if stream flows are low or access is limited because of drought. Unlike most other salmonids, juvenile SONCC Coho salmon use parts of their spawning streams and estuary habitats throughout the year. These young salmon require very cold, clean water between 10-15.5°C (50-60°F) to grow. Juveniles generally feed and grow in slow-moving, off-channel habitats, small, clear tributaries, and estuaries before undertaking ocean migrations in the spring. Once at sea, Coho from different regions school together as they migrate to the North Pacific to feed on small fish, shrimp, crabs, and invertebrates before returning to spawn after 6-18 months. About 75 years ago, between 100,000 to 300,000 SONCC Coho returned to spawn in freshwater each year. Currently, populations are less than a generous estimate of 5,000 wild individuals. The number of streams capable of supporting Coho salmon runs have declined 40-50%. Coho are among the most sensitive of salmonids to changing environmental conditions. There has likely been 95% or more decline in numbers since the 1960s in California due to dam construction and habitat degradation from various land use practices. Click the button below to learn more about your fish.
• 10.
  Central California Coast Steelhead

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  You are the Central California Coast steelhead! Oncorhynchus mykiss irideusLevel of Concern: High California Trout and UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences recently released SOS II: Fish in Hot Water, a report on the status of all 32 types of salmon, steelhead, and trout in California. Click on the report cover to learn more about your fish and the 31 other California native species and their status. Central California Coast (CCC) steelhead are anadromous coastal rainbow trout. All CCC steelhead are winter-run fish, entering freshwater as mature adults during the highest flows of the year, typically between late December and February. With favorable flow and temperature conditions, female steelhead may spawn and return to saltwater in only a few weeks, while male fish may linger and spawn multiple times before returning to the ocean. When juvenile steelhead reach about 10 cm (about 4 in.) in length, they begin to smolt and migrate downstream during spring and summer months to seek out foraging opportunities in larger mainstem rivers or critical estuaries and lagoons. Smolts spend up to two years or more in larger rivers and estuaries putting on weight and roughly doubling in length before their arduous journey to the Pacific Ocean. Once at sea, CCC steelhead migrate to cool waters offshore of the Klamath-Trinidad coastline before moving to feeding grounds in the North Pacific with steelhead from other regions. CCC steelhead range from the Russian River (Sonoma County) south to Aptos Creek (Santa Cruz County). Historical abundance estimates of Central California Coast steelhead are limited. During the early 1960s, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife estimated about 94,000 CCC steelhead spawned throughout their range. Today, most watersheds support less than a few hundred adult steelhead per year. CDFW has not documented spawning steelhead in San Francisco Bay tributaries since the drought started in 2012. Central California Coast (CCC) steelhead populations are in long-term decline. Habitat restoration and barrier removal are critical to increasing habitat availability. Click the button below to learn more about your fish.
• 11.
  Central Valley Steelhead

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  You are the Central Valley steelhead! Oncorhynchus mykiss irideusLevel of Concern: Moderate California Trout and UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences recently released SOS II: Fish in Hot Water, a report on the status of all 32 types of salmon, steelhead, and trout in California. Click on the report cover to learn more about your fish and the 31 other California native species and their status. Adult Central Valley (CV) steelhead are relatively small compared to coastal steelhead, rarely exceeding 60 cm (about 24 in.) and a few kg (about 6 lbs.). Their slender body type allows them to undertake long and difficult migrations far inland to Central Valley rivers. All adult Central Valley steelhead are winter-run fish, beginning their upstream migrations to fresh water during peak flows between December and February. Returning adults typically spawn from February to April. After hatching in spring and absorbing their yolk sac, steelhead fry move into deeper, mid-channel habitats in the late summer and fall. They grow quickly as opportunistic, voracious predators by feeding on aquatic and terrestrial insects, small fish, frogs and other prey. Most juvenile Central Valley steelhead feed and grow in their natal streams for one or two years before migration in late December through the beginning of May. In general, both juveniles and resident adults prefer complex habitat boulders, submerged clay and undercut banks, and large woody debris that provide feeding opportunities, segregation of territories, refuge from high velocities, and cover from predators. Historically, Central Valley steelhead inhabited the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers and most of their tributaries as part of a single population with resident Rainbows. Due to the construction of dams and water diversions, nearly 95% of previously accessible habitat to CV steelhead has been blocked or lost. A long history of translocations of hatchery Rainbow trout and steelhead, and pervasive habitat alteration, have created a single heavily hatchery-influenced population. CV steelhead were listed as “threatened” in 1998 following a severe decline in naturally produced steelhead returning from the ocean, the result of dams blocking access to much of their former spawning and rearing habitats. Recent adult returns have been low, presumably due to drought-related impacts. Both natural and hatchery steelhead are in decline, suggesting that the anadromous life history itself is not sustainable in the highly altered Central Valley. Central Valley steelhead are not in danger of extinction but their numbers will remain low until river conditions that support their migratory life history improve. Click below to learn more about your fish.
• 12.
  Klamath Mountains Province Summer Steelhead

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  You are the Klamath Mountain Province summer steelhead! Oncorhynchus mykiss irideusLevel of Concern: Critical California Trout and UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences recently released SOS II: Fish in Hot Water, a report on the status of all 32 types of salmon, steelhead, and trout in California. Click on the report cover to learn more about your fish and the 31 other California native species and their status. Klamath Mountain Province (KMP) summer steelhead are nearly identical to the more common KMP winter steelhead in their appearance. They may live up to seven years, and return to spawn to their natal streams several times throughout their lives. The open Klamath Estuary provides steelhead access to diverse habitats — from spring-fed systems such as the Shasta River, to snowmelt- driven Trinity River tributaries — at different times of year. Summer steelhead enter Klamath and Trinity river tributaries by June and ascend into summer holding areas with deep, bedrock pools with some overhead cover and cool seeps. They spawn from January to March. Generally, summer steelhead spawn in small or intermittent headwater tributaries, and juveniles migrate into perennial streams soon after hatching. Juvenile summer steelhead typically spend two years in fresh water before migrating to the ocean, and returning to spawn at three or four years of age. KMP summer steelhead range historically included all coastal streams and their tributaries from the Klamath River to the Elk River in southern Oregon. Their current distribution has been significantly reduced by dam construction, and now includes merely the Klamath River and its main tributaries, the Trinity, Salmon, Scott, and Shasta rivers, and other streams north to the Oregon border. Klamath Mountain Province summer steelhead are in a state of long-term decline in the Klamath Basin. Only two or three Klamath Mountain Province summer steelhead populations are large enough to sustain their unique life history. Most of the smaller populations are likely to disappear due to reduced streamflows, shrinking availability of suitable habitat, and higher temperatures throughout the summer months in headwater tributaries. Climate change is likely the single largest contributing factor to the long-term decline of summer steelhead in the KMP. Climate change is already reducing summer stream flows, increasing stream temperatures, and altering seasonal flow patterns in KMP summer steelhead watersheds, which will lead to further reduction in suitable headwater streams that summer steelhead rely upon. Click the button below to learn more about your fish.
• 13.
  Klamath Mountains Province Winter Steelhead

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  You are the Klamath Mountains Province winter steelhead! Oncorhynchus mykiss irideusLevel of Concern: Moderate California Trout and UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences recently released SOS II: Fish in Hot Water, a report on the status of all 32 types of salmon, steelhead, and trout in California. Click on the report cover to learn more about your fish and the 31 other California native species and their status. The Klamath River Basin supports the greatest diversity of steelhead life histories anywhere. Klamath Mountain Province (KMP) winter steelhead are nearly identical in appearance to their more rare summer counterparts, but are more likely to have spawning colors in the lower reaches of rivers. They enter fresh water between November and April as mature adults. They spawn soon after arriving, and migrate back to sea by March or April. One-half to two-thirds of KMP winter steelhead spawn more than once during their lives. Fry emerge from redds beginning in April, and juveniles defend territories in or below riffles where food is most abundant. Some juvenile steelhead spend two to four months in the Klamath Estuary or Pacific Ocean before returning to fresh water between August and October to over-winter. These immature fish, called “half-pounders,” are likely to survive and spawn multiple times during their life. The KMP winter steelhead range includes all coastal rivers and creeks throughout the Klamath-Trinity rivers basin north to the Elk River near Port Orford, Oregon. In the Klamath River, they historically ascended all major rivers and tributaries, and likely spawned in tributaries to Upper Klamath Lake before passage was blocked by a chain of dams. KMP winter steelhead returns have declined from historical estimates of approximately 220,000 fish per year to less than 50,000 fish per year. Lack of strong, coordinated protection for wild stocks, combined with reductions in habitat associated with climate change, will continue to negatively impact KMP winter steelhead. Due to dam operations selecting for resident life histories, low adult returns, and negative impacts on wild fish, Iron Gate Hatchery on the Klamath River stopped rearing steelhead in 2013. These ocean-maturing fish are relatively more widespread than the stream-maturing summer-run fish, yet still face an uncertain future due to reductions in suitable habitat.
• 14.
  Northern California Summer Steelhead

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  You are the Northern California summer steelhead! Oncorhynchus mykiss irideusLevel of Concern: Critical California Trout and UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences recently released SOS II: Fish in Hot Water, a report on the status of all 32 types of salmon, steelhead, and trout in California. Click on the report cover to learn more about your fish and the 31 other California native species and their status. Northern California (NC) summer steelhead are anadromous rainbow trout which return to freshwater from the ocean as large, silvery, immature trout with numerous black spots radiating outward on their tail, adipose and dorsal fins, and are nearly identical in appearance to winter steelhead. Historically, NC summer steelhead ranged from Redwood Creek (Humboldt County) in the north to the Mattole River (Mendocino County) in the south. Today, only a few select watersheds still support summer steelhead, including Redwood Creek and the Mad, Eel, and Mattole rivers. They can be found in the mainstem, upper mainstem, North, Middle, and South forks of the Eel River. Summer steelhead migrate further inland into smaller tributaries than winter fish. They spend summer months resting in pools with consistent cool temperatures as they mature, waiting for winter rains to spawn in December-February. NC summer steelhead can tolerate water temperatures up to approximately 23°C (about 73°F) for short periods of time, but seek refuge in deep pools with cool seeps and springs. They prefer pools with boulders, large woody debris, and undercut banks that provide cover from predators and visual separation from other fishes. After spawning, adult fish migrate back to the Pacific Ocean around March. Juveniles leave their natal tributaries from April to June to feed and grow in mainstem rivers and estuary habitats before migrating to sea. Once at sea, most juveniles spend their first months near the coast before moving to the North Pacific Ocean to feed on krill, squid, fish, crustaceans, and amphipods in surface waters. Northern California (NC) summer steelhead are in long-term decline and this trend will continue without substantial human intervention on a broad scale. Sufficient flows and cool temperatures are rapidly disappearing across the summer steelhead distinct population segment range during critical over-summering months. This is largely due to drought-related flow reductions and illegal and unregulated diversions to support exploding marijuana cultivation.
• 15.
  Northern California Winter Steelhead

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  You are the Northern California winter steelhead! Oncorhynchus mykiss irideusLevel of Concern: Moderate California Trout and UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences recently released SOS II: Fish in Hot Water, a report on the status of all 32 types of salmon, steelhead, and trout in California. Click on the report cover to learn more about your fish and the 31 other California native species and their status. Northern California (NC) steelhead are larger, on average, than steelhead from other watersheds in California. In general, coastal steelhead in smaller, slower coastal rivers are deeper-bodied, longer, and more robust than steelhead from larger inland rivers. NC winter steelhead generally enter estuaries and rivers between September and March, with spawning peaking between December and early April. These steelhead are sexually mature when they arrive at spawning areas, usually after spending two years in freshwater and one year growing at sea. In relatively small coastal watersheds in Mendocino County, many steelhead enjoy a high likelihood of repeat spawning potential due to their relatively short migrations. Most NC steelhead that live to spawn many times are females, and they may account for a significant proportion of returning adults in a given year. Females can lay between 200 and 12,000 eggs, depending on their size and condition, before migrating back to the ocean by May. Newly emerged steelhead school together and seek shallow waters with gentle currents to grow, while older juveniles maintain territories in faster water and in pool habitats. Juveniles smolt in early spring and migrate to estuaries or the ocean between March and June. Some juvenile steelhead rely on estuaries for rich feeding and growth opportunities, increasing their chances of survival at sea. The Northern California steelhead distinct population segment includes all naturally spawning populations in California coastal river basins from Redwood Creek (Humboldt County) to the Gualala River (Mendocino County). NC steelhead are present today wherever streams are accessible to the ocean and sufficient flows and cool water exist. Some water bodies with no recent direct access to the ocean, such as Big and Stone lagoons in Humboldt County, also contain steelhead, although the source of these fish is unknown. Northern California winter steelhead are in a state of long-term decline over much of their range due to land use practices that reduce habitat for juveniles, such as diversions that desiccate nursery tributaries during summer months. While the Level of Concern for Northern California (NC) winter steelhead has remained the same since 2008, the latest research indicates that they are now more susceptible to climate change impacts and are vulnerable to anthropogenic threats. NC winter steelhead are highly vulnerable to climate change due to juvenile reliance on small, headwater tributaries for nursery habitat. Reductions in suitable coldwater are also expected to result in local extirpations and range contractions for NC steelhead, as higher gradient headwater streams that could provide refuge are inaccessible behind waterfalls, boulder fields, or dams.
• 16.
  South-Central California Coast Steelhead

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  You are the South-Central California Coast steelhead! Oncorhynchus mykiss irideusLevel of Concern: Critical California Trout and UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences recently released SOS II: Fish in Hot Water, a report on the status of all 32 types of salmon, steelhead, and trout in California. Click on the report cover to learn more about your fish and the 31 other California native species and their status. South-Central California Coast (SCCC) steelhead in general have longer, streamlined bodies that are suited to the small, flashy streams of central and southern California. The behaviors and habitats of SCCC steelhead are not well documented, but are apparently similar to those of Southern steelhead. In general, they spend one to three years in fresh water, then two to four years at sea before returning to natal rivers to spawn from January to May. In years with low rainfall, such as 2012- 2016, lagoon barriers may not breach during the rainy season, making fresh water migrations impossible. Juveniles may migrate from fresh water to lagoons and estuaries, or between reservoirs and tributaries, multiple times in a single year. Immature steelhead typically spend several weeks to months in estuaries, where they grow rapidly to increase their survival at sea. SCCC steelhead range from the Pajaro River (Santa Clara/San Benito Counties) southward to the southern edge of San Luis Obispo County. Prior to the 2012-2016 drought, SCCC steelhead were still found in nearly all coastal watersheds in their historical range, but populations have shrunk in recent years.Historically, annual runs of adult SCCC steelhead averaged about 27,000 adults in wet years. Reliable abundance data are lacking, but best estimates suggest that less than 500 adults return to fresh water each year to spawn. South-Central California Coast steelhead are in long-term decline across their range, despite recent recovery actions taken in core watersheds. Without widespread efforts to restore streamflows and improve access to historical habitat, SCCC steelhead will likely be extinct in southern California within 50 years. Removal of San Clemente Dam in the Carmel River in 2015 opened access to more than 40 km (25 mi.) of habitat, and is aiding in the restoration of more natural streamflows and sediment transport processes. Climate change will likely exacerbate the decline of SCCC steelhead by reducing the availability and accessibility of usable habitat. Under future climate change, streamflows are expected to decrease and water temperatures to increase, creating sources of environmental stressors that threaten steelhead growth and survival. In general, steelhead in southern California will be subject to the greatest increase in duration and intensity of ocean and land-based ecosystem shifts associated with climate change.
• 17.
  Southern Steelhead

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  You are the Southern steelhead! Oncorhynchus mykiss irideusLevel of Concern: Critical California Trout and UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences recently released SOS II: Fish in Hot Water, a report on the status of all 32 types of salmon, steelhead, and trout in California. Click on the report cover to learn more about your fish and the 31 other California native species and their status. Southern steelhead generally have longer, more streamlined bodies than their northern counterparts to facilitate passage through southern California’s characteristic low, flashy streams. They can tolerate warmer water temperatures than steelhead in the north, up to about 25˚C (77˚F), before they seek refuge in pools with cool seeps. They depend on winter rains to provide passage through seasonally opened estuaries and lagoons to reach upstream spawning tributaries. Juvenile steelhead may feed in fresh water for up to three years before migrating to the Pacific Ocean. While anadromous steelhead are only sporadically present in the current population, resident Rainbow trout occupy the upper watersheds of most rivers year-round and may be responsible for maintaining steelhead runs through their offspring when streamflow conditions are favorable. They are most abundant in the four largest watersheds in the northern portion of their range: the Santa Maria, Santa Ynez, Ventura, and Santa Clara rivers. Today, the Southern steelhead range spans over 30,000 square km, which they share with more than 22 million people. In the 19th Century, the Santa Ynez probably supported the largest runs of Southern steelhead throughout their range, likely between 20,000 to 30,000 adults per year. In the last five years, the number of adult anadromous steelhead has declined significantly, to the point that it is now rare to see them in the wild. Since its listing as an endangered species in 1997, Southern steelhead abundance has continued to decline to precariously low levels. Drought, increasing human population pressures, and climate change have contributed to their continued decline. Southern steelhead represent the southern edge of the species’ range, and, as such, are critically vulnerable to climate change impacts. They are becoming increasingly exposed to higher water temperatures and flow variability over time. Their continued existence depends on building resiliency to climate change through greater abundance, genetic diversity, and access to diverse habitats.
• 18.
  California Golden Trout

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  You are the California Golden trout! Oncorhynchus mykiss aguabonitaLevel of Concern: Critical California Trout and UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences recently released SOS II: Fish in Hot Water, a report on the status of all 32 types of salmon, steelhead, and trout in California. Click on the report cover to learn more about your fish and the 31 other California native species and their status. California Golden trout take their name from their bright, yellow-gold coloration. They can grow to 19-20 cm (about 8 in.) and reach a maximum age of nine years in streams. They are capable of growing larger in lakes – the largest Golden trout ever caught, in Virginia Lake (Madera County), weighed 10 lbs. Their striking appearance makes them easily recognizable, and led to California Golden trout becoming the official State fish of California in 1947. California Golden trout live in cold, clear mountain streams in meadows at high elevations over 2,300m. They prefer to stay in short reaches of streams, such as in pools and beneath undercut banks, for most of their lives. Most of their habitat is made up of riparian meadows in the Golden Trout Wilderness. In rivers and streams, they opportunistically eat both terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates, but eat mostly midges in lakes. Due to the lack of natural predators in their native range, they are more active during the daytime than most other trout species. California Golden trout spawn when they are three or four years old, in late June or July, and in finer substrates than other trout species. California Golden trout are native to the South Fork Kern River and its tributaries, Golden Trout Creek and Volcano Creek. As a result of extensive pack train collection and stocking efforts over the last century, they can be found in nearby Cottonwood Lakes and Mulkey Creek, as well as several watersheds in the Sierra Nevada. Expanded stocking has introduced them to more than 300 high mountain lakes and 1,100 km of streams outside their native range, including in Utah, Wyoming, and Montana. Despite numerous translocations to various watersheds, unhybridized California Golden trout are much less abundant in their native range than they once were. In 1965, an estimated 40,000 California Golden trout inhabited Golden Trout Creek and the South Fork Kern River. At present, only 400-2,600 ‘pure’ California Golden Trout remain in their native habitat in 5 km of Volcano Creek, representing a decrease of 95% from historical numbers. The drought of 2012-2016 caused meadow habitat near Volcano Creek – a key tributary for California Golden trout – to dry almost completely. Due to poor habitat conditions and uncertainty over the duration of drought, a fish rescue was conducted by CDFW in September 2016. These fish are being held for reintroduction as soon as favorable stream conditions allow. Better genetic data have also revealed fewer “pure” populations of California Golden trout exist in the wild than previously thought. While the Golden Trout Creek (GTC) population is relatively secure, the South Fork Kern River (SFKR) population is threatened by hybridization with hatchery-origin Coastal Rainbow trout, and predation and competition from introduced Brown trout. California Golden trout are critically vulnerable to climate change impacts that will alter the snowmelt-fed streams they depend upon. While the highest portions of the southern Sierra Nevada may continue to retain a great deal of snow as temperatures warm, snowpack may not persist as long into summers in the extensive meadows of the Kern Plateau. As a result, meadows are likely to become drier by the end of summer, which will reduce streamflows.
• 19.
  Coastal Rainbow Trout

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  You are the Coastal Rainbow trout! Oncorhynchus mykissLevel of Concern: Low California Trout and UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences recently released SOS II: Fish in Hot Water, a report on the status of all 32 types of salmon, steelhead, and trout in California. Click on the report cover to learn more about your fish and the 31 other California native species and their status. Coastal Rainbow trout are the least vulnerable native troutspecies in California due to their high tolerance to a wide variety of environmental conditions, multiple life histories, and a large natural and expanded range(through introductions). Coastal Rainbow trout are incredibly adaptable to different environments and are capable of exhibiting a wide range of coloration. Trout from small streams may be dark olive on the back with a yellowish belly and orange tips on the fins, while lake-dwelling fish tend to be more silver in color. Most Coastal Rainbow trout have heavy, irregular spotting, and spots that radiate outward in lines on the tail and a white belly. The pink to deep red band on their flanks gives the fish its namesake. In waters with access to the ocean, any rainbow trout greater than 41 cm (16 in.) in length are considered to be “steelhead” for management purposes and catch limits, although resident Coastal Rainbow trout regularly attain this size where habitat is favorable and food is plentiful. Coastal rainbows mature when they are two or three years old, and rarely live more than five or six years. They generally spawn in spring to early summer, from February to June depending on stream temperatures, but have been known to spawn during the winter months in Putah Creek (Solano County) and may spawn year-round in spring-fed streams such as the Fall River (Shasta County) without strong seasonal cues such as flow or temperature. Fish that spend their entire lives in fresh water rarely attain sizes greater than 70 cm (28 in.), but lake-dwelling fish may grow larger. In rivers and streams, they feed on aquatic and terrestrial insects that drift in the water column, and may occasionally eat fish and frogs, especially as they grow larger. In lakes and reservoirs, they frequently feed on fish such as Threadfin shad. Coastal Rainbow trout owe their success to their ability to adapt to a wide variety of habitats. They are capable of being stream residents, lake residents, or migratory between these habitats. Coastal Rainbow trout that express one life history are capable of having offspring that take on another life history if habitat is available. Coastal Rainbow trout were originally present in virtually all perennial coastal streams from San Diego north to the Smith River (Del Norte County), and in most rivers in the Central Valley from the Kern River north to the Pit River near Alturas (Modoc County). Resident Coastal Rainbow trout were typically found upstream of natural barriers, such as waterfalls or rockslides, which were too difficult for steelhead to pass. Today, due to numerous introductions, Coastal Rainbows are found in virtually all streams where suitable habitat exists, including the once-fishless Sierra Nevada north of the upper Kern River Basin and lakes and streams in the Cascade Range and Trinity Alps. Wild resident Coastal Rainbow trout are more abundant today than they were historically in California due to a long history of introductions by pack mule trains, airplanes, and other means. However, total Coastal Rainbow trout abundance likely dipped in response to low streamflows and high temperatures associated with California’s historic drought from 2012-2016.
• 20.
  Eagle Lake Rainbow Trout

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  You are the Eagle Lake Rainbow trout! Oncorhynchus mykiss aquilarumLevel of Concern: High California Trout and UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences recently released SOS II: Fish in Hot Water, a report on the status of all 32 types of salmon, steelhead, and trout in California. Click on the report cover to learn more about your fish and the 31 other California native species and their status. Eagle Lake Rainbow trout look similar to Coastal Rainbow trout, but have finer scales and the snout is frequently rounded. They grow quickly and are capable of reaching lengths up to 72 cm (28 in.) and weights of 4.5 kg (10 lbs.). Eagle Lake Rainbow trout are known for their adaptability to both the highly alkaline waters of Eagle Lake and the spring-fed tributaries to Pine Creek where they historically spawned. They are capable of rapid growth due to the abundant food in Eagle Lake, making them desirable as a hatchery strain of fish. They may live up to 11 years of age, and mature slowly, usually at about age three.Eagle Lake Rainbow trout are found only in Eagle Lake (Lassen County) and its major tributary, Pine Creek. They have been raised in the Mount Shasta and Darrah Springs fish hatcheries and subsequently planted across the United States and Canada due to their tolerance for harsh conditions and rapid growth. The most recent genetic evidence suggests that Coastal Rainbow trout invaded Eagle Lake via a historical connection between the Feather River and Pine Creek and became stranded. Abundance of Eagle Lake Rainbow trout is not known due to lack of comprehensive studies on their population. Presumably, the numbers depend on the stocking allotment of fish into the lake in a given year from young reared at Crystal Lake and Darrah Springs Fish Hatcheries. Since the population is dependent on hatchery production, it is presumably stable. While recent progress has been made to improve access to spawning habitat in Pine Creek, Eagle Lake Rainbow trout do not exist as a self-sustaining wild population because of its dependence on hatchery propagation. Removal of non-native Brook trout in Pine Creek, the sole spawning tributary for Eagle Lake Rainbow trout, began in 2007. The Pine Creek fish trap was modified in 2012 to allow passage of spawning fish upstream for the first time in decades. Cattle have been excluded from meadows along Pine Creek to allow riparian habitat to rebound.
• 21.
  Goose Lake Redband Trout

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  You are the Goose Lake Redband trout! Oncorhynchus mykiss newberriiLevel of Concern: Moderate California Trout and UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences recently released SOS II: Fish in Hot Water, a report on the status of all 32 types of salmon, steelhead, and trout in California. Click on the report cover to learn more about your fish and the 31 other California native species and their status. Goose Lake Redband trout were once so abundant they were harvested commercially and sold to nearby logging camps in California and Oregon. They look similar to other Redband trout, with yellowish bodies, brick-red lateral stripes, heavy spots on the body, and white-tipped fins. Fish in streams keep their parr marks, or dark ovals along their sides, for their entire lives, while adults in the lake take on a silvery coloration. In Goose Lake, fish historically attained lengths up to 70 cm (28 in.), while stream-dwelling fish rarely grow larger than 25 cm (10 in.). Goose Lake Redband trout are adapted to live in the highly alkaline, cool, and shallow waters of the vast Goose Lake, which sits 1,430 m (about 4,700 ft.) above sea level. Goose Lake is approximately 76 km (47 mi.) long and 19 km (12 mi.) wide when full, yet is only about 3 m (10 ft.) at its deepest point. High prevailing winds in this desolate region regularly churn the waters, making the waters extremely turbid but rich with invertebrates for trout to feed on. Redbands can take on two different life histories to exploit this harsh environment. Some fish are born in tributary streams and migrate to the lake to grow larger before returning to spawn in their home streams. Other fish reside in cold, clear headwater tributary streams for their entire lives without undertaking lake migrations. Spawning migrations follow snowmelt and rain in the spring, usually during late March or in April, with most spawning occurring in May. Spawning fish are mostly made up of three-year-old adults, which appear pale in color, perhaps resulting from time spent in the lake’s turbid waters. In the lake, the trout feed on Goose Lake Tui chub, Tadpole shrimp, and other abundant invertebrates, while in streams, the Redbands mostly eat insects and fly larvae. Goose Lake Redband trout inhabit Goose Lake, its many tributaries in Oregon and California, and a few select tributaries to the upper Pit River near Alturas (Modoc County). Historically, Goose Lake and its tributaries likely supported thousands of spawning adult fish annually. More recently, abundance estimates in California tributaries were about half of estimates from a decade or two earlier, or on the order of several hundred year-old trout per mile. California populations of Goose Lake Redband trout are not secure because they are mostly small, largely isolated, and, during drought periods, the lake population disappears and stream populations contract. From 2013-2015, Goose Lake dried up entirely, reducing the overall abundance of the population and causing remaining trout to seek refuge in tributary streams.
• 22.
  Kern River Rainbow Trout

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  You are the Kern River Rainbow trout! Oncorhynchus mykiss gilbertiiLevel of Concern: Critical California Trout and UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences recently released SOS II: Fish in Hot Water, a report on the status of all 32 types of salmon, steelhead, and trout in California. Click on the report cover to learn more about your fish and the 31 other California native species and their status. Kern River Rainbow trout look similar to Coastal Rainbow trout, but have a slight gold hint. They have many fine, irregular spots all over their bodies, and larger fish may have a rosy streak along their sides. Almost no life history studies have been conducted on Kern River Rainbow trout. Presumably, they share similar habitat with Coastal Rainbow trout in high elevation streams. They historically grew to large sizes, as much as 71 cm (28 in.) and 3.6 kg (8 lbs.), although fish over 25 cm (10 in.) are rare today. More research is needed on the behaviors and habitat requirements of this rare species. Kern River Rainbow trout are a distinct subspecies of Rainbow trout that likely resulted from natural hybridization of Coastal Rainbow trout with Little Kern Golden trout several thousand years ago. Historically, Kern River Rainbow trout could be found throughout the Kern River and its tributaries in Tulare County. Today, most populations can only be found far upstream of Lake Isabella within the Sequoia National Forest or Sequoia National Park lands. There are little to no current abundance data on unhybridized Kern River Rainbow trout populations. Kern River Rainbow trout were once abundant and widespread in the upper Kern River Basin and were subject to intensive angling pressure. Since the nineteenth century, overexploitation, habitat degradation and, most importantly, hybridization with other trout has reduced populations to a small fraction of historical numbers. Based on CDFW surveys in 2009 and expert judgment, they currently persist in about 20 km (12 mi.) of small streams. The majority of remaining unhybridized Kern River Rainbows are upstream of natural and/or man-made barriers and isolated from other populations, and their status could deteriorate rapidly due to a lack of population connectivity. Kern River Rainbow trout have a high probability of disappearing as a distinct entity in the next 50 years, if not sooner. The greatest threat is hybridization with Coastal Rainbow trout, but competition and predation from invasive Brown and Brook trout may also be contributing to its decline. The most recent genetic evidence suggests that there are far fewer relatively “pure” Kern River Rainbow trout populations than previously thought left in the wild, and that many trout thought to be Kern River Rainbows are actually Kern River/Coastal Rainbow trout hybrids. Drought conditions have desiccated headwater meadows and some portions of streams, reducing the availability of cold water during summer months and elevating stream temperatures to levels that are harmful to trout.
• 23.
  Lahontan Cutthroat Trout

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  You are the Lahontan Cutthroat trout! Oncorhynchus clarkii henshawiLevel of Concern: High California Trout and UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences recently released SOS II: Fish in Hot Water, a report on the status of all 32 types of salmon, steelhead, and trout in California. Click on the report cover to learn more about your fish and the 31 other California native species and their status. Lahontan Cutthroat trout (LCT) are the largest subspecies of Cutthroat trout, capable of weighing over 9 kg (20 lbs.). Their color varies based on their habitat: lake-dwelling fish are pale gold or silver with pink or purple hues along their flanks and gill plates and greenish- bronze to dark olive backs. LCT found in streams are usually much smaller than those found in lakes, and may exhibit purple or bluish hues along their flanks and parr marks. Yellow to red slash marks under their mouth gives them their ‘cutthroat’ name. Lahontan Cutthroat trout are very adaptable and capable of withstanding conditions that few other trout could survive. They are highly tolerant of alkaline waters, high stream temperatures, and low dissolved oxygen that has allowed them to flourish in harsh, arid environments. While these fish can grow large in lakes, they must spawn in streams. Ensuring healthy stream habitats are available to lake-dwelling Lahontan Cutthroats is critically important to allow them to complete their life cycle. Spawning typically occurs from April through July, though fall spawning has been documented in some populations. They feed primarily on terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates, leeches, and small fish as they grow larger. Historically, Lahontan Cutthroat trout were found across the Lahontan Basin in Southern Oregon, Eastern California and Northern Nevada. The Western Lahontan segment of the species encompasses fish in their current range in California, including populations in the Carson, Truckee, and Walker drainages, Lake Tahoe tributaries, and some lakes. Lahontan Cutthroat trout persist in less than 5% of their original stream habitat and a mere 0.4% of their original lake habitat in California. Wild, self-sustaining populations in headwater streams in California likely total only a few hundred fish each. Local extirpations of isolated populations likely occurred during California’s historic drought from 2012 -2016, further reducing the species’ remnant populations throughout their range. To help combat the continued declines, populations have been established in nine creeks outside of their native range in California through stocking from source populations and protected by man-made and natural barriers. With the help of many partners, alien species removal, especially of Rainbow and Brook trout in Slinkard and Silver creeks, has become an essential component of expanding the species’ range. Despite significant efforts in recent years, wild, self-sustaining Lahontan Cutthroat trout in California face a large and increasing risk of extinction over the next 50 years due primarily to the presence of non-native trout and degraded habitats throughout their range. Local extirpations in marginal habitat have decreased the abundance and distribution of LCT. Increased restoration actions in the Truckee and Walker rivers and Independence Lake, fish rescues, and reintroduction programs inside and outside of their historical range will help expand the species into restored habitats.
• 24.
  Little Kern Golden Trout

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  You are the Little Kern Golden trout! Oncorhynchus mykiss whiteiLevel of Concern: High California Trout and UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences recently released SOS II: Fish in Hot Water, a report on the status of all 32 types of salmon, steelhead, and trout in California. Click on the report cover to learn more about your fish and the 31 other California native species and their status. Little Kern Golden trout are similar in appearance to California Golden trout but their coloration is more subdued. Their backs are often olive to brass in color, with more and smaller spots along their flanks than California Golden trout. They are adapted to living in small, meandering meadow streams and high gradient tributaries characteristic of the Little Kern River Basin. Little Kern Goldens generally produce fewer eggs than other trout species, and individual fish have smaller ranges than most other trout species. Little Kern Golden trout were historically isolated to roughly 160 km (about 100 mi.) of streams in the Little Kern River and its tributaries by natural barriers such as waterfalls and cascades. Hybridization with non-native trout reduced their habitat range to less than 16 km of streams in the 1970s. By the year 2000, after decades of restoration, barrier management, and reintroduction through stocking, their habitat was restored to over 51 km of streams and three lakes. Relatively “pure” Little Kern Golden trout can be found today in upper North Fork Clicks Creek, Upper Clicks Creek, Trout Meadow Creek, Little Kern River above Broder’s Cabin, and the Little Kern River above Wet Meadows Creek in Sequoia National Forest. A few decades ago, the population of Little Kern Golden trout was estimated to be about 4,500 fish spread across a few of small watersheds. The recovery of Little Kern Golden trout is ongoing, and the focus on reducing hybridized populations is shifting to improving genetic diversity, population connectivity and size, and expanding the species’ distribution. Recent genetic studies indicate that remaining populations of Little Kern Golden trout are small, isolated, and susceptible to inbreeding and loss of genetic diversity. Non-native Brown trout appear to have been removed from the majority of Little Kern Golden trout native habitat, and large cascades and a barrier in the lower portion of the river block their movement upstream. Hatchery-origin Rainbow trout are no longer stocked in the Little Kern River Basin, and hybridization threats have been reduced as a result.
• 25.
  McCloud River Redband Trout

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  You are the McCloud River Redband trout! Oncorhynchus mykiss stoneiLevel of Concern: Critical California Trout and UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences recently released SOS II: Fish in Hot Water, a report on the status of all 32 types of salmon, steelhead, and trout in California. Click on the report cover to learn more about your fish and the 31 other California native species and their status. McCloud River Redband trout are similar in appearance to other Redbands, with yellow to orange bodies, dark oval parr marks on their sides, and white-tipped fins. The characteristic brick-red stripe on their sides is a defining feature, similar to that of the California Golden trout. Many, but not all, McCloud River Redbands have teeth on their tongues and an orange slash along the throat, characteristics more typically associated with Cutthroat trout. McCloud River Redbands are small trout; the largest adults often measure less than 21 cm (about 8 in.). They can become territorial and even cannibalistic under some circumstances. Like most other Redband trout, they spawn in late spring from May to June. Sheepheaven Creek where they inhabit is a small, spring-fed stream at an elevation of 1,433 m (nearly 4,600 ft.). Very cold, clear water trickles from volcanic soils between 10-13°C (50-55°F) year-round and runs a short distance before returning underground. Other McCloud River Redband trout streams are generally small, with riffles and small pools providing cover, especially if they contain fallen trees. McCloud River Redband trout once ranged throughout the mainstem McCloud River above Middle Falls and its tributaries, and perhaps the lower river and its tributaries as well. Today, they persist only in four small (< 2 km, or 1.2 mi.) isolated streams upstream of the McCloud River’s Middle Falls that disappear underground into highly porous volcanic rock before connecting with the mainstem McCloud River downstream. According to a 2011 CDFW survey, the total population of McCloud River Redband trout was about 3,560 fish. During recent drought years, 1,597 trout were rescued from Sheepheaven, Swamp, Edson, and Moosehead creeks, likely leaving less than 1,250 fish over 80 mm (3 in.) in the wild. McCloud River Redband trout populations are very small, fragmented, and exist in limited and isolated habitat. Their status could change rapidly, particularly in relation to predicted climate change impacts such as reduced snowpack and precipitation increasingly falling as rain instead of snow. The recent drought has caused many McCloud River Redband trout streams to dry, causing CDFW to rescue hundreds of fish and bring them into the Mount Shasta Hatchery during 2013. These last resort rescue efforts greatly reduced mortality in the remaining population. These fish were reared, spawned, and then released back into their native habitat in September 2016 after average precipitation returned to the McCloud River Basin.
• 26.
  Paiute Cutthroat Trout

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  You are the Paiute Cutthroat trout! Oncorhynchus clarkii selenirisLevel of Concern: High California Trout and UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences recently released SOS II: Fish in Hot Water, a report on the status of all 32 types of salmon, steelhead, and trout in California. Click on the report cover to learn more about your fish and the 31 other California native species and their status. Paiute Cutthroat trout have very few spots above the lateral line, and iridescent copper, green, or pink body coloration. All Paiute Cutthroat have a red-orange slash under the jaw for which they are named, and retain parr marks into adulthood. The Paiute Cutthroat trout is very closely related to the Lahontan Cutthroat trout, and is the least genetically diverse trout species of trout in California. They rarely reach more than about 25 cm (10 in.) in length owing to the high elevation, low productivity streams they inhabit. The native habitat of this species is the smallest of any known salmonid in North America, making them the rarest trout species on Earth. They nearly went extinct due to hybridization with non-native trout, but Joe Jaunsaras, a Basque herdsman, began transferring fish in 1912 above a natural barrier at Llewellyn Falls, saving the species. Paiute Cutthroat trout life expectancy is about 3-4 years in the wild, although some individuals may live up to 6 years. They mature at 2 years of age, and only have the potential to successfully spawn two or three times over their lifespan. Spawning takes place in July, and eggs hatch in August and September. They rarely migrate very far from where they were reared or introduced. Adult Paiute Cutthroats are territorial, defending their established territories in desirable pool habitat from others. Deeper pool habitat and overhanging vegetation provide important refuge and overwintering areas for this species. Paiute Cutthroat trout are native only to Silver King Creek, a tributary of the East Fork Carson River located at an elevation of about 2,400 m (about 7,900 ft.) in the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness in Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest (Alpine Co.). There are no known populations of lake-dwelling Paiute Cutthroat trout in California. Paiute Cutthroat trout populations likely declined in the last three years due to reduced streamflows in summer and anchor ice in winter resulting from drought. Remaining populations are small, isolated by barriers and cannot interbreed. Nine streams currently support small (400 to 700 fish each) but stable populations of pure Paiute Cutthroat trout.