List of fishes of Sespe Creek, California facts for kids

Sespe Creek is a special stream in Southern California. It flows through the beautiful Los Padres National Forest in Ventura County. This creek winds for over 31 miles (50 km) through the Sierra Madre Mountains and Topatopa Mountains. It also passes through hills, valleys, and very narrow canyons. It's a really important place for nature and wildlife.

Where Sespe Creek Flows

Sespe Creek starts high up in the Sierra Madre Mountains. This starting point is called its headwaters. More than thirty smaller streams, called tributaries, join Sespe Creek as it flows. These tributaries come from both the Sierra Madre and Topatopa Mountains. Finally, Sespe Creek joins the Santa Clara River near Fillmore. This joining point is called a confluence.

Sespe Creek is a National Scenic Waterway. This means it is protected for its natural beauty and importance. It is also one of the longest creeks in California that does not have dams or concrete channels. This helps keep the creek wild and natural. A special area called the Sespe Wilderness Area helps protect parts of the creek and the land around it.

Home to the California Condor

The land around Sespe Creek is known as its watershed. A very important part of this watershed is the 53,000-acre (214 km²) Sespe Condor Sanctuary. This sanctuary was created in 1947. It is a key place where the critically endangered species California condor (Gymnogyps californicus) has been brought back. Scientists are working to help these huge birds live in their natural home again.

Fish Living in Sespe Creek

Sespe Creek is home to many different kinds of fish. Some of these fish are native, meaning they have always lived there. Others were introduced by people. Here are some of the fish you might find:

• Arroyo chub — Gila Orcutti
• Pacific lamprey — Entosphenus tridentatus
• Prickly sculpin
• Santa Ana sucker — Catostomus santaanae
• Steelhead trout — Oncorhynchus mykiss irideus
• Threespine stickleback — Gasterosteus aculeatus
• Green sunfish — Lepomis cyanellus (introduced)
• Fathead minnow (introduced)
• Black bullhead (introduced)
• Mosquitofish (introduced)
• Golden shiner (introduced)
• Threadfin shad (introduced)
• Rainbow trout (introduced)

Identifying Fish in the Creek

One common fish in Sespe Creek is the Threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus). You can easily spot it because it has three sharp spines on its back.

The Pacific lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus) is another interesting fish. It travels into Sespe Creek from the Santa Clara River, which flows into the Pacific Ocean.

The Arroyo chub (Gila Orcutti) often swims in groups, called schools. The Santa Ana sucker (Catostomus santaanae) is often found near waterfalls in the creek.

You might also see the Green sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus). This fish was introduced to the creek by people. It likes to live in shallow areas where there are lots of plants.