How do you feel about non-native trout?

[Steven@HumboldtHerps]

I went back-packing for the first time in 2007. It was in the Russian Wilderness in Siskiyou County (NW CA). We found a wonderful little alpine lake and discovered it was packed with Eastern Brook Trout. Delicious! I have enjoyed catching and eating trout on many subsequent trips. I now want to let you know that there is good reason to fish greedily!

Countless lakes in the Sierra and the Klamath mountains were stocked with "brookies" and other non-native trout species over the last 100 years. They used to bring in fingerlings on mule backs; later they would drop the fish from planes. Stocking has been discontinued in many places due to the fact that many of the non-natives now need no replenishment; they breed freely.

Many places are also no longer stocked due to the fact that non-native trout have had a severe detrimental impact on the local ecosystems. Many of the lakes in the Sierras have undergone total trout removals in order to restore the previous populations of Mountain Yellow-legged Frogs (now under fire from chytrid); In those areas restored, populations of Yellow-legs and consequently, the Mountain garters dependent on them, have begun to return.

Unfortunately, here in the Klamath mountains (Russian W., Marble Mtn W., Shasta area, or Trinity Alps W.) the side-effects have not deteriorated garter populations. Instead, it has blown their numbers out of proportion. The victim in the Trinities is the Cascades Frog; these frogs are on the "run" with nowhere to go. Oregon Garters, which feed primarily on small native fish, frogs, and salamanders get the big bonus with non-natives. Oregons love trout, and their numbers prove it. Cascades Frogs have been found "migrating" to places not noted before... sometimes right into slightly different habitat, that of the Valley Garter. Valleys are happy about this too. Yeah, I love garters, but these exploded numbers won't last in the long run if the frogs all run out!

Next summer. I'm gonna fish like mad. Why not? These trout are tasty, and they are not native! Did I mention we didn't hear a single frog when we camped at that lake back in 2007? They are all gone; and so are the garters.

Last 2008, we took a trip to the McCloud River near Shasta. They had just stocked some fat adult farm-raised rainbows. We went fishing; when we gutted the fish, they still had farm pellets in them. These were big trout, capable of swallowing both baby frogs and baby garters. Need I mention I did not find any frogs here, and very few garters?

Just thought I'd share this...

[guidofatherof5]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts and observations.
If you get too many trout next year send a few to Iowa

[snakeman]

They have been stocking a park in my local area with trout for the past few years and it has already made a huge impact.You barely see any frogs and the garter population is way lower.I used to see hundreds of gravid females every year.Now I am lucky to see five a day.

[ssssnakeluvr]

I may have to grab my fishing pole and head out! Love trout....very tasty! it sucks that the frogs and garters are disappearing.... like I always say....everything has a purpose on this planet....and humans purpose is to come along and mess it up!

[Steven@HumboldtHerps]

As Les Claypool would say... Fish on!