| KERN RIVER HATCHERY FISH CULTURE
CENTER |
 The Fish Culture Center building
contains some of the most interesting displays in the complex and provides
answers to many of those pesky fish trivia questions that everyone wants to
know about but are too shy to ask. It is maintained jointly by the Friends of
the Hatchery and the California Department of Fish and Game. |
 There are interesting displays of little
known fish information in the public area but about half of the Fish Culture
building is utilized to spawn, hatch and raise trout species of concern. This
particular area is one of the only hatchery areas that is not open to the
public. |
 The other half of the building is used by the Friends of
the Hatchery to display various aquariums of some local area fish. There are
27 different species of fish in our area alone but not
all can adapt to caged living. The building is supplied by a separate water
well. |
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| 27 LOCAL FISH
SPECIES |
Largemouth Bass
Smallmouth Bass
Spotted
Bass
Bluegill
Carp
Brown Bullhead Catfish
Channel Catfish
White
Catfish
Black Crappie
White
Crappie
Goldfish
Hardhead
Hitch
Mosquitofish |
Sculpin
Threadfin Shad
Golden Shiner
Sacramento
Squawfish
Western Sucker
Green Sunfish
Redear Sunfish
Brown
Trout
California Golden Trout (State Fish)
Eastern
Brook Trout
Kern River Rainbow Trout
Little Kern
Golden Trout
Rainbow Trout
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California Golden Trout are native to
the South Fork Kern River and Golden Trout Creek. Due to transplanting of wild
fish and hatchery reared fish, today Goldens are found throughout California.
They are usually found at 8,500 to 10,500 feet elevations.
California
Golden Trout are the most brilliantly colored, have the least number of black
spots with dark olive backs, golden bellies with parr marks and a red splash
along the lateral line. Reddish orange lower fins and lower belly and white
margins along the lower fins are also characteristic. They are referred to as
the "true goldens". So unique and colorful are these trout that the California
Legislature has named them the official fresh water "State Fish". |
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The Kern River Rainbow Trout is native
to the main stem of the Kern River, at lower elevations than the California and
Little Kern Goldens. The Kern River Rainbow is much less colorful than golden
trout, usually silvery with only a reddish lateral band, and is covered with
spots.
A restoration project to restore the Kern River Rainbow to it's
original numbers and distribution is being developed at the Kern River Hatchery
by Kern River Fishery District Biologist and hatchery personnel. |
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The building housing
the Visitor Center is owned and maintained by the California Department of Fish
& Game. Friends of the Hatchery were granted permission to utilize the
building as a Visitor and Information Distribution Center. Relief and flat maps
of local areas of interest, fish & game regulations, and fish planting
information are also located here.
The Visitor
Center also offers a wide variety of free brochures produced by both the
California Department of Fish & Game and the US Forest Service. Information
includes: Fish & Wildlife of California; Sequoia National Forest camping
& hiking areas; and lists of local birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish,
mammals and butterflies. 
The totem pole was a project
of the JTPA (Job Training Partnership Act). The totem contains the
California State emblems found in the local area: A Grizzly Bear; Desert
Tortoise; California Quail; Golden Trout; and a California Poppy. The totem was
designed and hand carved by students of Kern Valley High School in
1994.