Large trophy-class cutthroat are best caught by trolling off steep shorelines of landlocked lakes. Aerial Stocking. Dry or wet flies fished off inlet streams work well. Streams and rivers are characterized by clear running water that is often mountain fed with high visibility, is well oxygenated and moving from a slow running to moderately … The cutthroat trout stocked in Kentucky were surplus Yellowstone strain cutthroat trout, spawned and raised up to stocking size at the Norfork National Fish Hatchery in Arkansas. Fish and Wildlife Service 1985a). Physical description. Your email address will not be published. Because O. clarkii is such a widespread species it occupies many different habitats. Statistics Coastal Cutthroat Oncorhynchus clarki clarki Other Names: sea-run cutthroat, harvest trout Average Size: 1-4 lbs, up to 6 lbs Of the 13 subspecies of cutthroat trout indigenous to North America, only the coastal cutthroat is anadromous. There is also an anadromous, or ‘sea-run’ coastal cutthroat. They are known to eat other fishes, crustaceans, and insects (Morrow, 1980). Cutthroat trout, Oncorhynchus clarkii, are widely distributed along the western coast of North America. Cutthroat trout are either yellow or silver in color and have small, black spots on their bodies and fins. This includes sizeable swaths of southern Montana, northwestern Wyoming, southeaster Idaho, and extends just a bit into northern Utah and Nevada, as well. More than 20 years of gill-netting, as well as catch-and-kill regulations, have allowed the cutthroat population to rebound somewhat, with Clear Creek seeing more than 700 fish in 2016, and biologists are feeling hopeful of further recovery. Fish Facts: Colorado River Cutthroat Trout (Oncorhyncus clarkii pleuriticus) - Orvis News. Inside Yellowstone National Park, native cutthroat trout are an important prey source for critters such as bears, otters, and mink. In truth, Yellowstone cutthroats are neither the wariest nor the hardest-fighting trout in the West, but they are beautiful, willingly eat flies of all kinds, and inhabit crystal-clear streams in the midst of some incredible landscapes. Resident cutthroat can be caught with spinners, or spoons fished deep in pools or along lake shorelines, especially where there is abundant submerged debris. Yellowstone cutthroat trout were the nation's first fish species to be identified as cutthroat trout - the first of now 14 recognized subspecies to be described as "cutthroat" because of their orange to crimson slashes underneath the jaw. Though their coloration can range from golden to gray to green on the back, depending on subspecies and habitat, all populations feature distinctive red, pink, or orange marks on the underside of the lower jaw; usually the easiest diagnostic of the species for the casual observer. Their range also extends inland where they can be found on most waterways with linkages to their western range along the Pacific coast (Trotter, 1987). Westslope Cutthroat Trout 101 The average size of a pure Westslope Cutthroat ranges from 6-18 inches. Because sea-run cutthroat smolt are large, they are often confused with mature, catchable fish and some runs have been depleted by overfishing the smolt run. Conversely, Westslope cutthroat trout have disappeared in 94% of their native range on the east side of the Continental Divide. Description. The names of many legendary fishing spots in Yellowstone National Park—Buffalo Ford, the Lamar Valley, the meadows of Slough Creek—are synonymous with big, native Yellowstone cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii bouvieri) that will rise to a dry fly on a summer day. Their appeal is that they can be found in nearly any freshwater habitat. Required fields are marked *. The westslope cutthroat trout got its name from being first described west of the Continental Divide. They provide an important source of food for an estimated 20 species of birds, and mammals including bears, river otters, and mink. Paiute Cutthroat Trout have hybridized with introduced rainbow trout and Lahontan Cutthroat Trout, resulting in a loss of distinctiveness of this subspecies in many areas (U.S. Good YCT habitat also includes complex cover, such as undercut banks and in-stream woody debris. Fact Sheet - Cutthroat Trout Author: Erica Pohnan, Brianne Smith, Peter Nelson, Marcia Lesky Subject: Your Lands, Your Wildlife Fact Sheet - Cutthroat Trout Keywords: YLYW, Cutthroat, trout, fish, salmon, Your Lands, Your Wildlife Created Date: 8/6/2008 10:45:47 AM They are an important species in Yellowstone National Park, upon which many other species depend. They’re the subject of massive conservation efforts, with restoration work happening from Soda Butte Creek … As adults, different populations and subspecies of cutthroat can range from 6–40 inches (15–100 cm) in length making size an ineffective indicator as to species. Depending on habitat and food availability, Yellowstone cutthroats can range from a few inches long to well over 20. The introduction of nonnative trout species—resulting in increased competition an… Cutthroat trout are aggressive feeders and will hit almost any lure, spinner, or fly. The other native is the westslope. Keeping streams healthy, with functioning, protected areas of streamside vegetation, is among the activities that will increase the resilience of individual populations. They’re also part of the Western Native Trout Challenge. The cutthroat can be identified by its typical orange marks along the undersides of their mandibles at the lower folding of the gill plate area. Login. In 1844, there were 11 lake dwelling populations of Lahontan cutthroat trout and 400 to 600 steam dwelling populations in over 3,600 miles of streams within the major basins of Lake Lahontan . Removing the threats posed by nonnative fish will provide safe havens, where YCT can live as they did before introduction of brook trout, rainbow trout, and brown trout. Adequate stream flow is another essential component in promoting resilience to climate change, and partnerships among water users, and public and private contributors will be essential. Human history. All Rights Reserved. Some coastal populations of the coastal cutthroat trout (O. c. clarkii) are semianadromous, spending a few m… As fry they feed on small crustaceans and algae. They occur from mountainous streams in the Cascade, Rocky, and Sierra Nevada mountain ranges to the ocean. New Mexico State Fish : Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout. Cutthroat trout (Salmo clarki) was designated the official state fish of Wyoming in 1987. The color of the body ranges from cadmium blue and silvery to olive green and yellowish-green depending on the species. But coastal cutthroat have complex life histories, and not all fish are anadromous. YCT prefer cold, clear, oxygenated water with a gravel substrate and little sediment. But by 2007, that number had fallen to just 538. Climate change is contracting the suitable habitat for Yellowstone cutthroat trout toward higher elevations, which remain the current stronghold for the species. They once occupied a vast range east of the Sierra Nevada but have been extirpated from nearly 95 percent of their native habitat in California. A cutthroat trout's diet changes as they progress through the life stages. Resident coastal cutthroat trout are one of three subspecies of cutthroat trout that occur in Washington and one of the two that are native. Since 1856. Sea-run cutthroat can be taken in fresh water in the spring or during the fall when they enter fresh water to overwinter. As they progress into fingerlings they feed on small insects, and crustaceans. During their migrations, they are caught in their home stream estuary or bays and salt chucks in the vicinity. (Behnke, 1992). Cutthroat trout are popular gamefish, especially among anglers A tandem rig featuring a terrestrial or attractor pattern trailing an emerger can be deadly. Currently the only remaining genetically pure native westslope cutthroat trout are found in about 600 miles of Missouri River tributaries. If the fish won’t come to the surface, try a double-nymph rig or a small streamer, such as a Woolly Bugger or Zuddler. So prolific was the habitat that more than 70,000 YCT were counted at the mouth of a single feeder stream, Clear Creek, in 1978 alone. Cutthroat trout are prominent feature of the Western fly fishing world. Lahontan cutthroat trout inhabit a wide range of habitats from cold, high-elevation mountain streams in California to lower-elevation and highly alkaline desert lakes in Nevada. Advances in genetics in the 1960s led scientists to split the subspecies into two again, restoring the name bouvieri to the Yellowstone subspecies and coining the term westslope for the other. Your email address will not be published. Cutthroat trout habitats range from coastal marine to freshwater rivers and streams with gravel substrates (Behnke, 1992). Often they are caught when fishing for steelhead trout (Salmo gairdneri). Avid angler Jordan Rodriguez of Meridian decided to grab his ice auger and hit the road in search of Did you know that: The cutthroat trout, Oncorhynchus clarki, is a member of the Salmonidae family of ray-finned fish. It is one of 14 subspecies of cutthroat trout native to the western United States, and is the state fish of New Mexico. The westslope cutthroat trout is the official state fish for the state of Montana. These “cuts” are what give this trout it’s name. Conservation of YCT in a warming climate requires prioritizing these high-elevation refuges. Then, in 1989, all trout of the Pacific basin were moved out of the Salmo genus and into the Oncorhynchus genus, reflecting a closer relationship to the Pacific salmon. The IGFA does not award records for each cutthroat subspecies, so there is no official world record for Yellowstones. With winter finally here, you might have thought we were done with new record fish for a while. Cutthroat trout are native to western North America and have evolved through geographic isolation into 14 subspecies, each native to a different major drainage basin. Ranchers and state and federal agencies regularly team to protect and restore streams damaged by incompatible farming and grazing practices. Juveniles and adults become opportunistic feeders, eating almost any prey item in their environment (Behnke, 1992). Recent genetic work on museum and extant populations however suggests that in fact the true native cutthroat of the South Platte basin (and heir to the name greenback cutthroat trout), can be found in only a single stream outside their native range. Native to the western part of North America, cutthroat trout are named for an orange mark behind the lower jaw. The diversity in habitat also leads to a diversity in the elevations in which the species can be found. Brown trout are one of the most genetically diverse vertebrates known. Spurred by the decline of Yellowstone cutthroat trout across its historical range, many private/public partnerships have formed to protect the YCT that remain and reestablish populations that have disappeared. it was one of the last pure bred Yellowstone Cutthroat I have caught on that section from the Hansen bridge to the Twin falls down. These fish are the proverbial canaries in the coal mine … if the health of a river begins to degrade they are often the first fish to go. At three years old, they are ready to spawn, and YCT can live up to eleven years. The most diverse trout species in North America, the historical distribution of cutthroat trout covers the broadest range of any stream dwelling trout in the Western Hemisphere. Anglers dream of such places because they combine much of what we love about the sport: that it takes us to where we can experience true wilderness and natural beauty and that it allows us to match wits with a game fish on its home turf, in the very waters where it evolved over tens of thousands of years. Resident fish spend their entire lives in on stretch of a stream, usually in headwater streams and those that have been isolated. Q: What do cutthroat trout eat?A: Inland cutthroat trout diet includes insects and small fish while the coastal variety eats shrimp, sandworms, squid, as well as small fish.Q: How do you identify cutthroat trout?A: Cutthroat trout have a yellow, orange or red streak in the skin fold on each side of the body and under the lower jaw. These projects benefit fish and landowners, as clean water and reduced erosion protect fish and agriculture. A muddler minnow on a fast sinking line fished along shores with submerged cover is a sure bet. Although the greenback cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarki stomias has been the focus of conservation efforts for more than half a century—starting when the once-lost species was “rediscovered” in a remote part of Rocky Mountain National Park—a series of genetic studies in the 2000’s produced some blockbuster findings that threw all previous work into question. 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