A Wild Trout Water

The Heritage and Wild Trout Program (HWTP) of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife designated the Putah Creek Interdam Reach (IDR) as a Wild Trout water in 2014, and added Lake Solano in 2015. During the evaluation of the Putah Creek IDR and Lake Solano for Wild Trout designation, Putah Creek Trout and its partners provided volunteer resources and support to HWTP, including angler use surveys, population monitoring, fish movement telemetry, and spawning and gravel scarification studies. As a new Wild Trout water, CDFW will implement a resource management plan to monitor and protect the wild trout fishery, while supporting public access and enjoyment. Putah Creek Trout continues to advocate for the wild trout fishery, as well as searching for ways to improve in-stream and riparian habitat, water quality, and angler experience and engagement.

Monitoring the fishery starts with anglers. Please fill out an angler survey after every time you fish the creek – even if you don’t catch anything. Completed surveys provide important data regarding the status and health of the trout population in regards to fish age and size distributions, as well as angler success. Angler survey boxes are located in the parking lots near the Hwy 128 bridge and Access 5 and the turnout below Access 5. We are working with CDFW to develop an online angler survey.  More to come.  Learn more about the Wild Trout Program.

Flows

After the summer irrigation season ends in September, the flows in Putah Creek are cut back dramatically to conserve water in Lake Berryessa. These low flows typically occur when the trout are spawning between November and April. We are working with the Solano County Water Agency (SCWA) with the goal of reducing the impacts of low flows and flow fluctuations that may adversely affect habitat and the successful natural reproduction of the wild trout.

Enforcement

Fishing with bait and barbed hooks and taking of fish, now illegal under current regulations, is an ongoing issue on Putah Creek. PCT has posted regulations signs and is working with CDFW enforcement to improve compliance. There is now an online site to easily report suspicious activity on the creek. When you see illegal activity please report it.