Video of spawning Lake Almanor brown trout

Wow amazing video and effort. Thanks for sharing.

Incredible footage! I think you might be a candidate for the new Marty Stoufer. Did anyone else used to watch "Wild America"?

Thanks for sharing!


-Eliot

That's badass dude. What kind of camera were you using?

Thanks for the compliments guys!

Shellback, the camera is a Sony Cybershot DSC-TX10.  I bought it about a month ago.  Really awesome little waterproof camera.  The touch screen can be a little funky to control at times (or maybe my fingers aren't delicate enough for it), but overall I'm very impressed with it.

I think next up will be rigging the camera to some kind of boom, where I don't have to stick my hand in the water.  I'm thinking rainbows in the local tributaries this spring should make some good shots...we'll see!

Thanks for the compliments guys!

Shellback, the camera is a Sony Cybershot DSC-TX10.  I bought it about a month ago.  Really awesome little waterproof camera.  The touch screen can be a little funky to control at times (or maybe my fingers aren't delicate enough for it), but overall I'm very impressed with it.

I think next up will be rigging the camera to some kind of boom, where I don't have to stick my hand in the water.  I'm thinking rainbows in the local tributaries this spring should make some good shots...we'll see!

I was inspired by this post - great stuff, Chris! 

When the Eel opened to fishing Friday evening I knew it hadn't rained that much.  I went up today to check it out.  It was low and clear with no fish around the usual hole and riffle run.  I moved up and saw all the salmon hanging out at the tailout - they're staging to spawn there if it doesn't rain!  I stowed the rod and shot video before dragging the yak up through the riffle.  I paddled a mile and a half upstream to the forks and then back down through.  On the way I saw more redds dug out on the riffles and a big pair on one.  I saw three prams of fly-guys at High Rock who were talking of seeing a guy snagging a salmon off a redd near Fernbridge.     I was drifting back down toward the first riffle I'd pulled up through, and I was planning to put my camera in the water as I drifted by, as the staging salmon were right near the main channel of the riffle.  (BTW, having the camera on a tripod, all legs squeezed together, is exactly what you need for your spawner-sniping   )  I was lazily drifting in 3-5' of very flat water leading up to the tailout 100 yards ahead when I saw a big fish break the surface 30 yards downriver and toward the west bank.  I got the video going in that direction and tried to use a stealthy half-paddle to propel myself toward it.  As I drifted that way I saw two dark forms in the clear chest-deep water.  These were two very large chinook showing dominant colors of black and red - the larger one must have been close to 4' long!  I was so cautious as I approached them, expecting them to bolt any moment.  I put my camera down in the water on the end of the tripod, angled so it was showing what lay ahead in the shallow water.  At first I was pleased to get views of the fish from 4 and 5' away.  They seemed to be in a rhythmic interaction, circling each other in a tight radius of around 3'.  I expected them to just swim away at any moment, so when they didn't I was astounded!  I had the camera pushed literally up into their faces as they continued in their circle - I could've pushed it an inch farther and touched them!  I couldn't believe what was happening and am just glad that I was prepared for such a moment!  Wow.  I need time to process the video, but here are some video screenshots of the action.

Myself and Bird were watching the vid ay his house Sat night. Great job Chris! I was thinking the same thing. Lightweight 20ft pole. Great, great shots of the spawners. REAL beautiful trout.

Daaaayyyum!  Eric, those are some monster salmon.  Big props on getting so close to them.  Sounds like they were just too preoccupied with each other to give a second thought about a camera or you on your kayak, eh?  Really look forward to seeing your video!

Craig, thanks!  It was a blast watching them do their thing in such skinny water.  Looked like easy pickings for a bear.  I wonder just how successful these fish are in their spawning in Last Chance Creek.  The creek is almost entirely spring-fed, and stays cold all through the summer.  Makes ya wonder if generations of trout have been spawning here.  The Lake Almanor brookies certainly seem to like it, and they've done alright without any stocking.

Nature at it's finest! I love watching footage like that. You ever put on a wetsuit and snorkel gear and swim with them?
Tried this once on the yuba river, awesome! Thx for the vid.

Awesome Vid. Chris, very cool. Great pics. Eric. You guys have to much fun. 

that's awesome i could use looking at more videos thanks 

Nature at it's finest! I love watching footage like that. You ever put on a wetsuit and snorkel gear and swim with them?
Tried this once on the yuba river, awesome! Thx for the vid.

Yup yup, I've swum with these fish.  Well not these ones specifically, but plenty of other trout and salmon while doing population estimates in the local streams.  Working as a fish biologist for the USFS, it comes with the job  .  7mm wetsuits are required most of the year.  I've shot video of spring-run Chinook and some smaller rainbows, though I hope to amp it up a lot more this next summer.

Frankly, taking video of the fish got me almost as pumped as when I hook one on rod and reel.  They're just such freakin' cool animals to watch.

fisheducator, RaZoR - thanks guys!

That was cool!  I have never really seen a "trouts eye view" like that before.

 

   Thats some true "Fish Porn" right there!  Thanks.  While drooling, all I could think of was Roostertail.