Are there giant goldfish in Lake Tahoe?

But U.S. Forest Service fish biologists with the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit said they're well-acquainted with the big goldfish – several pounds and up to 4 to 8 inches long – living in the large freshwater lake along the border between California and Nevada.



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This might come as a surprise, but there's only four types of fish. The Mackinaw (Lake Trout), German Browns, Rainbow Trout and Kokanee Salmon. The Mackinaw is the largest and most plentiful species in Lake Tahoe.

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But U.S. Forest Service fish biologists with the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit said they're well-acquainted with the big goldfish – several pounds and up to 4 to 8 inches long – living in the large freshwater lake along the border between California and Nevada.

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Lake Trout in Lake Tahoe can grow exceptionally large and feed on a wide assortment of resident fish in the lake such as Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Kokanee, Lahontan Cutthroat Trout, crayfish and other forage fish. Lake Trout can grow up to +30 pounds due to their high protein diet.

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Allegedly it's a 60-foot-long serpentine “monster” named Tessie. Tahoe Tessie that is. This isn't a new story either. The local Indian tribes have long spoken of monsters in the lake and some other theories point to a giant sturgeon perhaps inhabiting the dark areas of the water.

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Here's an oft-asked question: Can you swim in Lake Tahoe? The answer is yes, especially if cool/cold water is your thing! And, if you look at all the water sports outfitters and popular beaches in the area, it's clear that it's absolutely a preferred thing to do in Tahoe for a lot of people.

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Compared to other lakes, Tahoe's cast of aquatic characters is fairly small. Among those you can see with the naked eye, there are several species of trout (rainbow, brook, brown and lake), the Kokanee salmon, crayfish, mysis shrimp, and a few other near-shore and bottom-dwelling fish.

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Kokanee salmon were introduced into Lake Tahoe in 1944 by a fish hatchery in Tahoe City, but the circumstances surrounding their introduction are murky. “We've heard two different versions,” says Jean Norman of the U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit's interpretive services department.

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Robert Aronson caught a 37-pound 6-ounce lake trout on June 21, 1974. Two other record-breaking fish that also enjoy the cool Lake Tahoe are a mountain whitefish with the record being 4 pounds 9 ounces and a Kokanee salmon with the record of 4 pounds 13 ounces.

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Tahoe Tessie is the name given to the legendary creature that is said to inhabit Lake Tahoe. Similar to the Loch Ness Monster of Scotland, Tahoe Tessie is said to be a giant, prehistoric creature with a long neck and a serpentine body.

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Encounters with sharks in freshwater, though rare, have occurred while fishing or in other recreational activities. Notably, there have been reports of bull sharks in Lake Tahoe, despite its distance from the ocean. These occurrences highlight the adaptability of some shark species to different environments.

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While that is true, they also like porcupines, beaver and even skunks—all of which, along with deer, populate the Tahoe Basin. Field observations indicate more lions live around Lake Tahoe than many people think. And they are not just making fair-weather visits.

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