Saw this on DNR's Facebook page:
Congrats to Brian Harris on setting Utah's new catch-and-release record for golden trout! He caught this beauty at Marsh Lake on May 27, 2018, and it was 14 3/8 inches long.
I did some digging, and by all published reports, this fish would be 1 of 600 Golden Trout stocked into Marsh Lake in Sep 2014 (avg 1.53" long).
Pics from the post attached.
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That is way cool![cool] Congrats to the angler that caught that.
I wish the "golden pond" I occasionally fish had that kind of growth. [
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Congrats Brian!
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Way cool. These guys are on my list to catch. I wish they got as big as the goldens in WY. Beautiful fish.
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[quote Dunn13]
I wish they got as big as the goldens in WY. Beautiful fish.
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They could if managed correctly. They almost have to be the only fish in the lake to have a healthy population. Goldens don't compete well against others (Brook Trout - the "rats" of the Rockies - usually spell doom for Goldens). Rainbows and/or Cutthroats will interbreed with Goldens as well. Even then the odds are tough at the elevations they prefer - stable forage base, extensive shallows to produce this forage, depth to resist winterkill, and limited spawning habitat to prevent stunting.
I wish the DNR would adopt the same fisheries approach as they have in the Boulder Region - quantity, quality, and trophy designations.
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[quote Joe_Dizzy]They could if managed correctly. They almost have to be the only fish in the lake to have a healthy population. [/quote]
Yeah, there is truth to this. The "golden pond" where I catch them had a large stunted population of brookies, along with a few previous Golden survivors
prior to a couple of heavy plants of golden trout. Even with anglers suggesting harvest of as many brookies as legally possible, the results were predictable with all the fish of both species there being emaciated. I am glad they stocked goldens again and it was fun to catch them, but the poor body condition of the population there was
ly inevitable.
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[quote doggonefishin]
The "golden pond" where I catch them had a large stunted population of brookies, along with a few previous Golden survivors prior to a couple of heavy plants of golden trout.
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I was surprised when the DNR stocked all those Goldens in Echo to be honest. It has been well-documented in the Winds, Beartooths, and Colorado Rockies that Goldens must be absolutely out of reach from Brook Trout populations for a successful planting. Every fish I have seen from Echo has been a 7-8" snake.
As I understand it Golden Trout eggs are no longer available from WY so this last round (Echo, Marsh) a few years back may have been their last shot for the foreseeable future in Utah.
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Awesome! So rare.
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Good info to know. Of course goldens are on my bucket list, but they are stocked in so few places. My bother caught one last year in, I believe, Echo. I didn't know they were so poor. I have considered Atwood but you just about have to hire an outfitter to get there--which is good for the fish. Anybody know how they are doing? (No response would be better than a false one.) BTW, in reviewing state records I figured golden trout one of the next to fall, so I'm not surprised. Good job,man!
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[quote Joe_Dizzy]
I was surprised when the DNR stocked all those Goldens in Echo to be honest. It has been well-documented in the Winds, Beartooths, and Colorado Rockies that Goldens must be absolutely out of reach from Brook Trout populations for a successful planting. Every fish I have seen from Echo has been a 7-8" snake.
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Based on where the goldens were stocked, I suspect that it was based on the presence or rumored presence of pre-existing relict golden populations. That would reduce the potential for problems (and reduced red tape) with native cutthroat management programs in certain drainages. The thing about Echo is that there are other lakes in the immediate area where they may have done better that wouldn't have caused such management problems.
[quote Joe_Dizzy]
As I understand it Golden Trout eggs are no longer available from WY so this last round (Echo, Marsh) a few years back may have been their last shot for the foreseeable future in Utah.[/quote]
Very possible, but I had heard they kept a few at a hatchery as brood stock. Hopefully that is the case.
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I think it looks more like a Colorado Cutthroat ! What do you think ???
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[quote rahmaster]I think it looks more like a Colorado Cutthroat ! What do you think ???[/quote]
Hey all,
Haven't been on forever. Took a while to even figure out how to log on. Lol
rahmaster,
Didn't know if you were making light of a previous thread on fish identification or were serious.
Anyway, nope "not" a Colorado. It's the real deal. And a sweet one!!
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[quote rahmaster]I think it looks more like a Colorado Cutthroat ! What do you think ???[/quote]
No, it is legit. Look at the fins on the belly. Look how the pelvic and anal fins are tipped with white and have a white margain. CRC's do not have that and it is telltale for a golden. Additionally, the spotting and color pattern are consistent with a golden too. Also note that there are very few spots below midline except on the tail and the area in front of the tail. Also consistent with a golden.
Beautiful fish. As noted, I'm a little jealous. [
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Very nice golden trout. I’ve caught a few Goldens in the 10-11 inch range and have seen bigger ones that I couldn’t entice. This was prior to the restocking in 2012 and 2014 at Echo at one of its inlets and at its outlet stream.The key is a low snow year as it’s otherwise next to impossible to get in around the spawn when the bigger ones can be sight fished. So the late May date and low snow year almost certainly played a role in catching that beautiful golden. My experience is even low snow years it’s still a lot of work fighting snow and downed trees to get in. Now I assume this in Marsh Lake in the Henry Fork and not Smith Fork Drainage. If you want to target a similar fish just hope for as low as snow year as this one in the next decade and be ready for a fight getting in no later than June. Otherwise this is a 1 in a million lucky cast in Utah.
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Congratulations Brian on a great Fish. Good to know our fisheries are producing some quality fishing.
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Very cool! It's a record that is way overdue.
A healthy looking fish too!
The sorry rats in Echo are a pale silhouette to what goldens should look like and it's a disservice to the fish and those who chase them.
I'm hoping we can get some in other parts of the state soon. I've got suggestions o' plenty for some excellent lakes with no outlets and minimal risk of hybridization with downstream cutts.
So far, my cries have mostly been passed off as unfeasible, but I'm starting to make headway, I hope.
Logistics may be the biggest obstacle, I'm told.
I'll take time off from work to drive them myself or help in any way.
Fingers crossed.
Great looking record breaker. I'm happy for him.
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[quote LOAH]
I'm hoping we can get some in other parts of the state soon. I've got suggestions o' plenty for some excellent lakes with no outlets and minimal risk of hybridization with downstream cutts.
So far, my cries have mostly been passed off as unfeasible, but I'm starting to make headway, I hope.
Logistics may be the biggest obstacle, I'm told.
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Do you think the logistics are more due to lack of access to the higher lakes, or lack of available eggs?
If it's the former, then the DWR should read up on Finnis Mitchell... dude personally stocked more than 300 lakes in the Wind River Range using 5-gal milk cans and horses.
Regarding the latter, I thought I read a while back that Golden Trout eggs were no longer available from WY and WY could no longer get them from CA.
I agree with you though... plenty of lakes high enough and isolated enough in Utah where Goldens could thrive.
Echo was a huge mistake. Those fish never had a chance. Stocking Brookies is where caution should be taken... they spread like a disease up and downstream and quickly take over lakes and stunt out.
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Neither.
The logistics of getting a small number of golden fry from Kamas to a southern region lake could be problematic.
Costly too.
I don't believe we are reliant upon WY at this point.
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