Rainbow Trout are found worldwide, but are only native in watersheds connected to the Pacific Ocean. Found as far south as Northern Mexico, throughout the Western U.S., Canada and Alaska, they are also found across the Pacific in China and Russia.
The trout featured on your Native Series reel is a Kern River Rainbow, one of the southernmost native lineages of this incredible fish!
The Kern River Rainbow (Oncorhynchus mykiss gilberti) is a subspecies native to California’s Kern River and only found from the headwaters in the South Sierra Nevada to Lake Isabella.
ABOUT THE EASTERN BROOK TROUT:
Brook Trout are found worldwide, but are only native in the eastern U.S. from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean, and down the Appalachians to Georgia.
The Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) is actually in the genus of char, making it different from most trout caught in the United States as it is actually in the salmon family of fish.
Its name, “fontinalis” is derived from Latin for “of a spring or fountain,” which refers to the clear, cold streams and ponds that Brook Trout require to survive.
ABOUT EMBRACE A STREAM:
Ross Reels will donate a giveback on a per reel basis to EAS that will help fund projects supporting conservation efforts focused on the Kern River Rainbow and Eastern brook trout species.
Embrace A Stream (EAS) is a grant program administered by TU that awards funds to TU chapters and councils for coldwater fisheries conservation. Since its inception in 1975, EAS has funded more than 1,150 individual projects with more than $4.9 million in direct cash grants.
For current updates on EAS projects, visit the EAS Facebook page and follow #embraceastream on Instagram and Facebook.
In 2022, a total of $86,000 was awarded to 13 chapters and councils, helping restore stream habitat, improving fish passage, and protecting water quality in states from coast to coast.
ABOUT THE REELS:
Limited Edition 4/5 Animas Reels based on the Kern River Rainbow Trout and Eastern Brook Trout.
A portion of each reel sold will go back to Trout Unlimited's Embrace A Stream (EAS) grant program where funds will then be dispersed to TU chapter projects focused on conservation efforts benefiting these species.
With only 495 of each of these special reels available, each one will include a number of 1 to 495 as well as "Rainbow" or "Brook" on the reel foot.
The Rainbow Trout reel color is a unique pink based on the pink stripe on a Kern River rainbow trout.
The Brook Trout reel color is a unique reddish-orange coloring found on an Eastern brook trout.
Hand-painted spots on each drag knob directly relate to each species adding an additional level of unique beauty to each reel.
