CDFW News

CDFW Rescues Nearly 6,000 Eagle Lake Rainbow Trout Stranded in Pine Creek

Wed, 20 May 2026 14:22:14 GMT

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) this spring conducted the largest rescue of Eagle Lake rainbow trout in more than a decade, returning approximately 5,800 adult fish to Eagle Lake that were at risk of becoming stranded in the lake’s main tributary, Pine Creek.

The emergency efforts occurred over four days in March and April and involved more than 25 CDFW biologists, hatchery staff and several community volunteers.

“These fish are long-lived so there’s a very good chance that fish returned to the lake could return in subsequent years to spawn again,” said Paul Divine, CDFW’s District Fisheries Biologist for Lassen and Modoc counties. “And it’s also putting adult-sized fish back in the lake that could be enjoyed by anglers to catch as well.”

Eagle Lake opens to trout fishing on Saturday, May 23 with a two-fish daily limit and a four-fish possession limit. Eagle Lake rainbow trout are endemic to Eagle Lake and its main tributary, Pine Creek. Catching an Eagle Lake rainbow trout within Eagle Lake qualifies toward CDFW’s Heritage Trout Challenge. Anglers can report their angling experience at CDFW's California Inland Recreational Angler Survey (CIRAS).

Eagle Lake rainbow trout play a significant role in CDFW’s trout hatchery operations as the popular sport fish are stocked far and wide for recreational fishing in waters across the state ranging from Lake Annie in Modoc County to Cuyamaca Lake in San Diego County.

Prior to the fish rescue, CDFW was able to meet its spawning goals, collecting 1.3 million fertilized eggs from 320 pairs of Eagle Lake rainbow trout. About 170,000 of those offspring will be returned to Eagle Lake to support the fishery.

Fish strandings are not a new phenomenon at Pine Creek. CDFW records document periodic rescues dating back to 1959. The lower 25 miles of Pine Creek is seasonal and completely dependent on snowmelt for its flows.

Unseasonably warm weather this past February and March accelerated runoff and Pine Creek flows into Eagle Lake, triggering an early spawning run among the rainbow trout. Overall snowpack levels were low, however, and diminished quickly in the warm weather, potentially stranding thousands of trout within Pine Creek’s deeper pools and forcing CDFW to mobilize the largest emergency trout rescue there in more than a decade. The fish were collected using backpack electrofishing units, block nets and dip nets. The fish ranged in size from 9 to 24 inches, some weighing 4 to 5 pounds.

“Pine Creek has always been unpredictable, but we’re seeing more extremes over the last 10 years,” said Divine, who has managed the Eagle Lake fishery and overseen spawning operations there for nearly 20 years.

Pine Creek’s flows have dried up three times in the last 10 years, preventing Eagle Lake’s rainbow trout from accessing their primary spawning and rearing grounds altogether. CDFW’s spawning operations conducted this past March were the earliest to occur in 40 years.

CDFW Photo: Pine Creek as it looked in early April 2026 necessitating a large fish rescue.

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Media Contacts:
Peter Tira, CDFW Communications, (916) 215-3858
Paul Divine, CDFW Northern Region, (530) 251-6712

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California Primed for Spectacular Trout Season Opener April 26

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 15:10:03 GMT

Anglers Encouraged to ‘Clean, Drain, Dry’ Boats, Equipment to Prevent Spread of Aquatic Invasive Species

Be it Burney, Bridgeport or Bishop, anglers headed to one of California’s famed trout fishing destinations for the traditional season opener Saturday, April 26 will encounter near-optimal conditions with many popular lakes, streams and creeks accessible and stocked with trout.

A quarter-way into the 21st century, California’s traditional trout season opener the last Saturday in April endures as one of the more celebrated and anticipated dates on the outdoor calendar. Fishing begins one hour before sunrise on Saturday.

“The outlook is positive considering the above-average precipitation and snowpack this winter,” said Sam Plemons, a Senior Environmental Scientist based in CDFW’s Redding, Northern Region headquarters. “Generally speaking, this means north state streams will stay colder, longer into the season, which will be good for trout fishing.”

The Eastern Sierra is the epicenter of California’s trout fishing activity on the season opener, luring urban and suburban denizens from Southern California north along U.S. Highway 395 to the breathtaking and trout-filled waters of Inyo and Mono counties in an annual tradition many call “Fishmas.”

“We’re looking forward to an even better season than last year,” said Nick Buckmaster, a Senior Environmental Scientist based out of CDFW’s Bishop Field Office. “Thanks to our normal winter, we expect that fish last year have overwintered well and should be ready to catch. Thanks to the favorable weather and hard work of our hatchery staff, we’ll be able to stock more fish in more lakes, and our hatcheries are operating at full production.”

CDFW’s eastern Sierra trout hatcheries are operating at normal capacities having recovered from disease issues in previous years. Favorable weather conditions have allowed CDFW trout hatcheries to stock almost 800,000 trout statewide in March and April in in preparation for the April 26 opener.

Trout fishing opportunities are available year-round in California in many parts of the state, but the traditional trout season opener marks the start of the catch-and-keep season on many streams and creeks, as well as the reopening of much of the Eastern Sierra to trout fishing for the first time since last fall.

For details on specific waters stocked with trout, visit CDFW’s Fish Planting Schedule. Trout anglers are strongly advised to check specific regulations and opening dates in the 2025 California Freshwater Sport Fishing Regulations online. Beginning on Page 65 is an alphabetical list of trout waters with special fishing regulations. All anglers 16 and older must possess a valid California sport fishing license to fish within state boundaries, which can be purchased at CDFW’s Online License Sales and Services website or through a licensed sales agent. Licenses can be carried and displayed digitally via the CDFW License App and are valid 365 days from the date of purchase

CDFW is now piloting CIRAS, a new angler survey and data dashboard platform powered by anglers and built for anglers. CIRAS provides new levels of data transparency and equips anglers with near-real time survey data to help plan their next successful outing. Visit the CIRAS website for more information.

CDFW fisheries managers are asking trout anglers to help in the fight against aquatic invasive species and to “Clean, Drain, Dry” their motorized and non-motorized boats, including personal watercraft and any equipment that contacts the water, before and after use. Golden mussels, discovered last year for the first time in California, are of particular concern. Anglers are advised to check ahead of time with local marinas and boat launch facilities about any launch inspections or restrictions.

Even for some fly anglers who seek out wild trout and practice catch-and-release fishing, California’s traditional trout opener holds appeal, signaling the start of some of the best fishing of the year as warmer weather arrives, aquatic insect activity increases and trout become more active in their feeding.

These and other trout anglers looking for a fun adventure this summer should explore CDFW’s Heritage Trout Challenge, which encourages and rewards anglers for catching six different forms of California native trout from their historic drainages.

CDFW photo of Lake Sabrina, Inyo National Forest, by Travis VanZant

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Media Contacts:
Nick Buckmaster, CDFW Inland Deserts Region, (760) 920-8391
Peter Tira, CDFW Communications, (916) 215-3858

CDFW Celebrates 50 Years of Wild Trout Waters

Mon, 24 Oct 2022 15:35:31 GMT

State Designation Protects and Enhances California’s Wild Trout Fisheries
While Providing Unique Angling Opportunities for the Public

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first designated “Wild Trout Waters” in the state, a pioneering wild trout conservation and management practice at the forefront of the nation’s modern environmental movement of the 1960s and 1970s and a designation still benefitting California anglers today.

The California Fish and Game Commission created CDFW’s Wild Trout Program in 1971 at the urging of California Trout, the nonprofit, San Francisco-based wild trout conservation organization formed the same year. CDFW’s Wild Trout Program – today called the Heritage and Wild Trout Program – was created in recognition of the need to protect and enhance the state’s wild trout fisheries while also maintaining wild trout fishing opportunities for the public. The program was born at a time when the national consciousness was becoming attuned to negative impacts on natural resources, including population declines among fish, wildlife and plant species.

In 1972, the Commission designated 17 streams as Wild Trout Waters and has added to those waters every year since. Under the California Fish and Game Code, the Commission is required to add at least 25 miles of stream and at least one lake to the program annually. Among those first 17 Wild Trout Waters were portions of the North Fork American River, Hat Creek, Fall River, the Eel River, the Owens River and Hot Creek. Many of the first designated wild trout fisheries are still recognized today by trout anglers throughout the country.

“The founders of the Heritage and Wild Trout Program were truly visionary a half century ago, and we certainly owe them a huge thanks for the conservation of these very special places and these very special fish,” said CDFW Director Charlton H. Bonham. “What I most appreciate about the program is its dynamism. It continues to grow and adapt, adding more waters and more special fishing opportunities every year while managing through our contemporary environmental challenges the founders of this program never could have imagined – a changing climate, epic drought, devastating wildfires and a human population approaching 40 million California residents.”

“This anniversary is a huge milestone,” said Curtis Knight, executive director of California Trout. “CalTrout has been proud to promote and partner with CDFW on the Heritage and Wild Trout Program since its inception. We believe this program was progressive and cutting-edge when it was established in the 1970s. Today it has evolved and continues to be one of the most effective fish water policies in the country.”

Hat Creek in Shasta County is forever linked with CDFW's Heritage and Wild Trout Program as one of the first streams in the state designated as a "Wild Trout Water." CDFW photo.

Earlier this month, the Commission added two new waters to the program: The North Fork Mokelumne River, which flows through portions of Alpine, Amador and Calaveras counties, and Silver Lake in Tulare County have both been designated as Wild Trout Waters.

Since its founding, the main charge of the program has been to manage and enhance California’s wild, self-sustaining trout populations. The program was expanded in 1988 to include conservation of native trout species within their historic ranges and renamed the Heritage and Wild Trout Program. In 2003, the Heritage Trout Challenge was launched to encourage anglers to explore waters that support native trout species. Anglers that catch any six of the state’s qualifying 10 native trout species from their historic drainages are recognized by CDFW with a personalized award for their accomplishments.

Over the years, CDFW’s Heritage and Wild Trout Program has had far-reaching impacts on fisheries management and angling culture by:

Raising awareness and education of California’s native trout species
Driving monitoring and formal management plans for trout
Fostering a catch-and-release fishing ethic that today is commonplace as the standard practice to protect self-sustaining wild trout and other fisheries
Managing for genetic integrity by avoiding stocking hatchery trout into designated waters and working to prevent hybridization
Serving as an example for other states to promote fishing and conservation of their own native trout species and catch-and-release fishing. The 12-state, Western Native Trout Challenge, for example, was modeled after CDFW’s Heritage Trout Challenge.

More information is available by visiting the Heritage and Wild Trout Program web page.

Top Photo: CDFW photo of a wild rainbow trout.

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Media Contacts:
Peter Tira, CDFW Communications, (916) 215-3858
Farhat Bajjaliya, CDFW Heritage and Wild Trout Program, (916) 215-5330

California Trout Opener a Cherished Tradition for Golden State Anglers

Thu, 28 Apr 2022 10:06:12 GMT

The traditional trout season opener the last Saturday in April remains one of California’s most celebrated and anticipated outdoor traditions, drawing thousands of anglers to trout fishing destinations such as Burney and Dunsmuir in the north, Bridgeport and Bishop in the eastern Sierra, Mammoth Lakes in the south, and many other mountain communities and picturesque hamlets throughout the state.

This year, California’s traditional trout season opens on Saturday, April 30, one hour before sunrise throughout many counties in the state.

In recent years, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has expanded trout fishing opportunities year-round in many waters, yet the traditional trout opener remains popular. April 30 will mark the start of the catch-and-keep season on many streams and creeks, as well as the reopening of much of the eastern Sierra to trout fishing for the first time since last fall.

Most lakes, rivers and streams have a limit of five trout per day and a 10 trout possession limit. Regulations differ on season opening and closing dates, bag limits, minimum and maximum size limits and gear restrictions. Anglers are strongly advised to check specific area regulations and opening dates in the 2022 California Freshwater Sport Fishing Regulations (PDF) available online. All anglers 16 and older must possess a valid California sport fishing license to fish within state boundaries, which can be purchased at CDFW’s Online License Sales and Services website or through a licensed sales agent.

CDFW has been stocking trout in several dozen locations in the weeks and days leading up to the opener. To find more details on the specific waters planted, please see CDFW’s Fish Planting Schedule. These efforts will continue throughout the season even as CDFW fishery managers work to minimize impacts resulting from a disease outbreak at two eastern Sierra trout hatcheries (PDF). Anglers are reminded that California is in the third year of a drought and may see drought conditions impact their favorite trout fishing waters, especially as summer approaches. CDFW’s “Hoot Owl” Water Watchlist web page offers some voluntary guidelines for freshwater fishing during a drought year and may list specific waters where fishing should be avoided midday and other recommendations.

CDFW has many resources available to new and experienced anglers alike regarding trout fishing throughout the state. Recently, the Recruit, Retain, Reactivate (R3) team released a new R3 Harvest Huddle Hour (R3H3) prerecorded video, Introduction to Trout Fishing, which introduces different tools and techniques anglers can try out for trout fishing this season. CDFW's online, interactive Fishing Guide also provides information about trout plants, boating locations, regulations, license sales agents, and more.

For anglers interested in learning more about wild trout and where to find them in their specific region, the Heritage and Wild Trout Program has resources explaining wild trout management and maps of Designated Wild and Heritage Trout Waters helping you find these special fish. For anglers that feel up to a challenge, CDFW offers the Heritage Trout Challenge, which requires anglers to catch six different forms of California native trout from their historic drainages!

Once you’ve gone out and caught your limit of trout, visit CDFW’s R3 California Wild Kitchen web page to find guidance and recipes on how to clean and prepare your trout for you and your family.

Media Contacts:
Taylor Williams, CDFW R3 Program, (916) 203-1362
Peter Tira, CDFW Communication, (916) 215-3858