The search for a bear, snacking on the salmon continues- with no avail.  That said, the fish were more plentiful and the Fall season is showing itself more each day.

Red hues fill the creek Giving life only to die Kokanee Salmon

The Mallards are fun to watch because they actively churn up the creek bed to get to the salmon eggs.  It is dance-like and very interesting to witness.

We found ourselves asking, "Why are all these fish here?" The answer:  The California Department of Fish & Game (CDFG) operates a Kokanee salmon stocking program. These intriguing fish are an introduced landlocked form of sockeye salmon that never migrate out to the ocean.

Our destination today was the Taylor Creek Weir.  Each fall, eggs are collected from wild caught fish. This temporary fish weir was installed here and when enough fish, ripe with eggs have accumulated below the weir, a group gathers to collect eggs. Fish are collected and held temporarily before females are stripped of their eggs. The eggs are fertilized with milt from the males, and are kept cool and oxygenated for transport. The eggs will be raised at the San Joaquin Hatchery for about 6 months before the juvenile Kokanee are released in the spring. This egg collecting event will provide juveniles to stock various lakes throughout the Sierra.

It's interesting at the weir due to the salmons' innate need to swim upstream.  They hit the obstruction and spend all their time trying to continue on their path.

Jenny captured the illusive salmon, mid-jump.