There has been just enough rain in the drainage basin for our creek that it has once again started to flow.

I checked the deepest hole yesterday, and was surprised to see the usual ball of CC fingerlings.

All of the fish are approximately the same size, which I estimate to be 7" long. They look healthy, but their heads look a little too large to me, so I assume they are partially stunted.

The creek went dry last fall, except for a few deep holes - which became stagnant and choked with algae. The water is flowing now, and I see GSF, LMB, gambusia, and some other minnows in the deep holes. However, I suspect the period of "dry creek" did some significant damage to the food chain.

Question 1: Are these fingerlings the right size for an early summer spawn from last year?

Question 2: Would these fingerlings could be a good test for the theory concerning fish that lose growth in their early life cycle have a reduced growth rate, even if they are subsequently placed into a favorable environment?

IF, I ever get a chance to install my CC pond, I was contemplating fin-clipping some CC from the creek and starting them at the same time as the stocker CC. I am going to try to have the CC NOT spawn in the pond, so I am not worried much about hurting the genetic line of the commercial CC.

Any thoughts?