Natural History
The Golden Trout is a relative of the lost California native, the Sea Run Coastal Rainbow Trout. Tectonic movement combined with glaciations and volcanoes isolated the Kern Plateau and created a barrier for the Golden trout around 20,000 years ago. High outlet falls, hanging valleys and volcanic lava cut off created this high elevation plateau for the trout. Isolated, and no longer able to be a migrating sea run fish like it's soon to be ancestors, the Rainbow trout it was forced to adapt to its permanent high elevation habitat.
The waters at the elevation where the trout are found are very cold and very clear with a high reflective rate. The Golden Trout's appearance has adapted to this environment. It has a yellow gold to olive green tint on its sides and belly. The fish also developed two very brilliant red stripes; one on its belly which runs from the last lower fin to the front of the gill, the other stripe is on the lateral line that typically begins at the seventh lateral spot which also runs to the gill.
These colors are both passive and aggressive. The gold and red when viewed from out of the water make the trout virtually invisible in the shallow creeks of the high Sierras. Having this advantage makes it difficult for predators and prey alike to locate it.