05-03-2007, 11:26 AM
[cool][#0000ff]The kamloops strain of rainbows is indigenous to Kamloops Lake, in British Columbia. In its home waters, it does not get too big, because of the available food sources...mostly invertebrates. However, when it is placed in a large lake with abundant forage species, it gets big and feisty.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]It has been a popular target in the big lakes of northern Idaho for many years, where it dines mostly on kokanee. BFTer Gumbo used to hit them regularly and once posted the picture below.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]![[Image: gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=10002;]](http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=10002;)
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Gumbo, with 26# Kamloops rainbow from northern Idaho. [/size][/#000000]
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[#0000ff]Kamloops were also planted in the Gorge back in the "olden days"...when there were big browns. Like the browns they gobbled up lots of chubs and grew to well over twenty pounds. There is an old picture somewhere of Del Canty, a float tuber from Colorado, posing with a 26 pound male kamloops in full spawning colors. I have searched in vain for that picture for several years. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I suspect there are still some kamloops genes in the rainbows of Flaming Gorge, but a fresh introduction would likely produce some more bigguns. The only "downside", for kokanee fans, would be more predation on those little salmon. Kamloops do like kokanee.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Here's a link to a [url "http://www.rmgameandfish.com/fishing/trout-fishing/rm_aa064504a/"]KAMLOOPS ARTICLE[/url][/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]It has been a popular target in the big lakes of northern Idaho for many years, where it dines mostly on kokanee. BFTer Gumbo used to hit them regularly and once posted the picture below.[/#0000ff]
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Gumbo, with 26# Kamloops rainbow from northern Idaho. [/size][/#000000]
[size 1][/size]
[#0000ff]Kamloops were also planted in the Gorge back in the "olden days"...when there were big browns. Like the browns they gobbled up lots of chubs and grew to well over twenty pounds. There is an old picture somewhere of Del Canty, a float tuber from Colorado, posing with a 26 pound male kamloops in full spawning colors. I have searched in vain for that picture for several years. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I suspect there are still some kamloops genes in the rainbows of Flaming Gorge, but a fresh introduction would likely produce some more bigguns. The only "downside", for kokanee fans, would be more predation on those little salmon. Kamloops do like kokanee.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Here's a link to a [url "http://www.rmgameandfish.com/fishing/trout-fishing/rm_aa064504a/"]KAMLOOPS ARTICLE[/url][/#0000ff]
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