Sequoia National Forest

Fishing Information
The Little Kern River drainage within the Golden Trout Wilderness is open to fishing from the last Saturday in April to November 15. Only artificial lures with barbless hooks can be used. The daily bag and possession limit is five trout. The Sequoia National Park portion of Soda Spring Creek is closed to all fishing. Previously treated and recovering waters should be avoided to allow for complete recovery. In these areas, enjoy the fishing, but please help by returning your catch to the stream or lake.

History
The Kern River watershed is unique in that golden trout evolved here and nowhere else. Of these golden trout, one subspecies, the Little Kern golden trout (GT-LK), is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. By 1977, cross-breeding with introduced rainbow trout and competition with brook trout had reduced them to five isolated populations in less than ten miles of stream within the Little Kern River drainage. Without intervention, the GT-LK could have become extinct.

Cooperative Recovery Plan
The California Department of Fish and Game, Sequoia National Forest, Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are working together to restore pure GT-LK to native habitat throughout the Little Kern drainage. Since 1975, about 65 miles of stream and eight lakes have had their non-native fish removed and GT-LK planted in their place. Eight artificial barriers to upstream trout movement have been constructed to facilitate the recovery program and 14 erosion control structures have been completed to restore damaged habitat.

Completed in 1994
Efforts were focused on chemically treating the remaining non-native trout populations in the drainage. We saw the last scheduled chemical treatments within the basin in 1995. Little Kern golden trout were stocked in reclaimed lakes and streams. Monitoring of stream and lake GT-LK populations and habitats will continue to ensure that the recovery program is successful.

Previous treatments of portions of Peck's Canyon Creek, Alpine Creek, Mountaineer Creek, and the Little Kern River were re-treated to verify success. The remaining stream section within the basin to be treated was the lower Little Kern River. This treatment extended from just downstream of Willow Creek to the confluence with the Kern River, and included the lower reaches of tributaries. This was the most extensive treatment undertaken within the basin.

Restoration Process
When pure GT-LK are available for transplanting, biologists chemically treat targeted streams to remove the non-native fish. When it is determined that the treatment is successful, the stream is then restocked with pure GT-LK. Treatment with chemicals is the only way to remove 100 percent of all fish prior to restocking. The treatment on each stream section takes only a few days. Trout are normally restocked soon following detoxification.

Pesticide Use Notice
The chemical used to remove targeted species is a commercial formulation of rotenone. This chemical is specific to fish and does not affect warm-blooded animals. Prior to the use of this pesticide, a news release is sent to the media and individuals and organizations on a contact list. Trailheads leading into the treatment area are posted with notices to advise backcountry users of the chemical treatment ahead. The targeted streams are posted with notices at trail crossings.