freshwater fish ID help?

[kamoshika]

Yesterday, I came across this yellow fish and 2 more like him in a creek-fed pool within Cherokee National Forest near Unicoi, TN. Anyone know what it is? There were several rainbow trout in there as well, like the one at the bottom of the pic, that I assume got swept into the pool during recent deluges. The yellow fish appeared to be around 14-16" long. I was going to email the TWRA to see if they can help with the ID but thought I'd ask here first.

 

[YankeeVol]

It’s a yellafish

 

[BilboTN]

Golden trout. They are bred at the hatchery in Unicoi but rarely released in TN.

 

[jp1]

Golden trout. They are bred at the hatchery in Unicoi but rarely released in TN.

Looks like a golden rainbow trout to me. I can't see the typical red/dark orange markings on the side in this picture though.

 

[kamoshika]

Thanks much...it's a striking fish to see, we'd actually just left the hatchery before heading over to Rock Creek.

 

[TennesseeTarheel]

I recognized it as a golden trout, having seen them in the pond above Ledford's Mill in Tullahoma. They probably don't last long around Kingfishers. We always speculated they would taste like bananas.

 

[Jackcrevol]

Yesterday, I came across this yellow fish and 2 more like him in a creek-fed pool within Cherokee National Forest near Unicoi, TN. Anyone know what it is? There were several rainbow trout in there as well, like the one at the bottom of the pic, that I assume got swept into the pool during recent deluges. The yellow fish appeared to be around 14-16" long. I was going to email the TWRA to see if they can help with the ID but thought I'd ask here first.

View attachment 490389

see these a lot in NC. they are native to CO

Colorado Golden Trout - Fishing Planet Wiki

subspecies of rainbow.

 

[joevol33]

see these a lot in NC. they are native to CO

Colorado Golden Trout - Fishing Planet Wiki

subspecies of rainbow.

They stock them here in Georgia on the river where you gotta have a guide.

 

[Jackcrevol]

They stock them here in Georgia on the river where you gotta have a guide.

you have to have a guide? like legally?

is this private water? i mean i've fished all over, on some persnikitty water, single artificial flies no shank, no dropper, minumum leader size, June to Sept only. No feet shuffling, no felt on shoes, min 1 angler per 1000 ft type rivers.

never a mandatory guide.

 

[joevol33]

you have to have a guide? like legally?

is this private water?

Yes. They actually have nets in the water to keep them corralled in one area. There's several spots on that particular river like that, but occasionally a good hard rain will wash them down to public areas. I've never caught one of the golden ones, but I've caught several big ones that have washed to the park. Found them accidentally fishing for catfish bait , had one around 5lbs grab my line.

 

[VolNExile]

…I never caught one of the golden ones, but I've caught several big ones that have washed to the park. Found them accidentally fishing for catfish bait , had one around 5lbs grab my line.

 

[joevol33]

View attachment 490644

Ah bite me!!

 

[Jackcrevol]

View attachment 490644

anything 5 lbs looks at my line and scoots on.

 

[VolNExile]

anything 5 lbs looks at my line and scoots on.

Any fish that looks at Joe’s line calls all its friends over to laugh.

 

[joevol33]

Any fish that looks at Joe’s line calls all its friends over to laugh.

Bite me!;;

 

[joevol33]

Had that on Facebook

 

[Tin Man]

View attachment 490663
Bite me!;;

Looks to be more than five pounds, Joe!

 

[joevol33]

Looks to be more than five pounds, Joe!

That wasy point, I catch big fish!

 

[Tin Man]

Yesterday, I came across this yellow fish and 2 more like him in a creek-fed pool within Cherokee National Forest near Unicoi, TN. Anyone know what it is? There were several rainbow trout in there as well, like the one at the bottom of the pic, that I assume got swept into the pool during recent deluges. The yellow fish appeared to be around 14-16" long. I was going to email the TWRA to see if they can help with the ID but thought I'd ask here first.

View attachment 490389

Palomino trout first bred at a West Virginia rainbow trout hatchery. After the initial occurrence of the yellow hued fish, the hatchery began to breed for them. These are different than the golden trout native to California river systems.

 

[Tin Man]

Coda: the yellow hued trout is a natural oddity in the rainbow trout gene pool. It did and does occur naturally, however, the West Virginia hatchery began to specifically produce them. All rainbow trout east of their native range are introduced, with the majority produced in hatcheries.

 

[VolunteerHillbilly]

Yes. They actually have nets in the water to keep them corralled in one area. There's several spots on that particular river like that, but occasionally a good hard rain will wash them down to public areas. I've never caught one of the golden ones, but I've caught several big ones that have washed to the park. Found them accidentally fishing for catfish bait , had one around 5lbs grab my line.

I know that part if the riverbed running through Helen is privately owned, which is how they control tubing outfitters. Everyone has to pay 25 cents a tube or somesuch. I was always told that sort of ownership goes back to the goldmine days but I really have no idea. I know it’s highly unusual for a segment of river to be privately owned, particularly East of the Mississippi.

 

[Go aeiou]

I know that part if the riverbed running through Helen is privately owned, which is how they control tubing outfitters. Everyone has to pay 25 cents a tube or somesuch. I was always told that sort of ownership goes back to the goldmine days but I really have no idea. I know it’s highly unusual for a segment of river to be privately owned, particularly East of the Mississippi.

That should not be. All flowing water should be "water of the state".I believe in TN it is. At least that is how TDEC looks at it.

 

[joevol33]

I know that part if the riverbed running through Helen is privately owned, which is how they control tubing outfitters. Everyone has to pay 25 cents a tube or somesuch. I was always told that sort of ownership goes back to the goldmine days but I really have no idea. I know it’s highly unusual for a segment of river to be privately owned, particularly East of the Mississippi.

It's a constant fuss around here. I don't know what the law actually is, but I do know there are nets, and have been fights, and even know a guy who got shot for being on a tube in "private" water. It's crazy to me.