Kern River Rainbow Trout
The Kern River rainbows look very similar to coastal rainbows. Whatever golden hue the have in common with their neighboring golden trout is muted, the spots are smaller and much more profuse. They often still have faint parr marks, a slightly orange belly, and a white tip on their dorsal, pelvic, and anal fins.
The California Department of Fish and Game intensively stocked the Kern River with hatchery rainbows in the latter decades of the twentieth century, which means most of the fish you catch in the Kern today can no longer be considered Kern River rainbows. The further you go upstream, the more likely you are to find a relatively unhybridized Kern River rainbow, especially if you can get into the headwaters in Sequoia National Park.
There may be more information on these fish in the forums, trip reports, and other posts. Click here.
Oncorhynchus mykiss
Oncorhynchus mykiss gilberti
