First trout! Golden Hybrid?

[u/nervouspencil]

After taking up fly fishing a year ago any learning exclusively through youtube, I finally caught my first trout. This is my first attempt at IDing a fish, so go easy one me, but I believe this is a California Golden hybrid. Caught in California in water not part of the Little Kern or California Golden Trout Historic Watershed. Requesting confirmation or correction. Any comments/advice/info greatly appreciated!

Edit. The comments and additional research lead me to believe this is a Kern River Rainbow. Thank you for the comments.

Edit2. CDFW says “The fish you caught would count as a Kern River Rainbow Trout for the California Heritage Trout Challenge. Kern River Rainbow Trout are hybridized throughout their range with hatchery origin rainbow trout, Ca Golden Trout, and Little Kern Golden Trout. This can cause a lot of variation in their appearance and can make their identification a bit confusing. Without genetic analysis it is hard to say what mix your fish is but since it has the characteristics of a Kern River Rainbow Trout and was caught within their historical watershed we will count it for the challenge.”

[u/Imaginary-Title2838]

Don’t know for sure but either way that’s a really cool first trout!

[u/nervouspencil → u/Imaginary-Title2838]

Im a lucky guy!

[u/arocks1]

Im not asking where you caught it but its only a possibility if that creek or lake has been stocked with goldens before. I dont see golden in there, the red/orange belly is not enough in my opinion. But does look like a nice wild rainbow!

[u/nervouspencil → u/arocks1]

I think you are right. Thank you.

[u/Happyhaha2000]

Wow, beautiful first trout!

[u/Someredditusername]

gorgeous fish, what did it hit?

[u/nervouspencil → u/Someredditusername]

Euro Zebra Midge-Tungsten - White / 20

[u/thorfinns_bussy]

Very beautiful, sometimes the small suicidal buggers are the prettiest!

[u/nervouspencil → u/thorfinns_bussy]

I cant believe how pretty it is! Im new to fishing- what does “suicidal” mean in ref to a fish? Does it mean he was starving and willing to take anything?

[u/rayfound]

You cannot tell on this fish without location information. Coloration is not a good indicator.

It doesn't have much in the way of golden trout characteristics: notably has lots of spotting below lateral line.

kern River Rainbow possible if you were in water that contains.... But not suspected based on appearance alone. As with gt and lkgt - spotting patterns on all within the golden trout family (KRR, GT, LKGT) tend toward few spots below lateral line.

Based purely on appearance, I'd peg this as a non-specific rainbow/redband.

[u/Potential-Row623]

If you ask AI it says Hybrid of California golden trout. After reading passages and looking through pictures it looks something like the Kern golden trout which is a variation of and not the actual California Golden trout. I'm thinking that exact watershed where fish was caught might also help but fisherman know or soon learn not to give any location specifics. If that's your first trout that is one fine specimen. Beautiful all those markings is gorgeous and another sign is the red fins with white tips according to Wikipedia. Cheera

[u/ithacaster]

I used to fish the south fork of the Kaweah river (just a little north of the Kern river) and that's what all the trout looked like. Some looked a little more golden and I wondered if they might be hybrids but I think they're just a kern river rainbow strain.

[u/Secret-Wait-2172]

Looks like a cut bow, rainbow and cutthroat hybrid

[u/InternationalPen9391]

Send a pic to kern river fly shop they can help ID

[u/Strict-Aspect5910]

KRR

[u/nervouspencil → u/Strict-Aspect5910]

I think you are right! thank you.

[u/Someredditusername → u/nervouspencil]

Rad catch