Colorado River cutthroat trout, Oncorhynchus clarkii pleuriticus , are one of three recognized subspecies of native trout found in Colorado. photo courtesy of Colorado DOW and Joseph Tomerelli. They’re the subject of massive conservation efforts, with restoration work happening from Soda Butte Creek in Yellowstone to tiny headwater streams in Colorado. Greenback Cutthroat – Colorado state fish. Cutthroat Trout: Cutthroat trout feature two red swaths on their lower jaws, and are spotted on their sides and backs.

Competition with non-native trout, coupled with habitat loss, now limits the imperiled native trout to less than 10 percent of its original range. 6. Historically the state was home to six sub-species of cutthroat trout. When asked to define the difference between a Rainbow Trout and a Cutthroat Trout, a biologist would tell you that although both species have different origins and ranges, they are both members of the same family and genus Salmonidae oncorhynchus but, that they are also two distinct and different species. Cutthroat Trout: Evolutionary Biology & Taxonomy is a publication of the American Fisheries Society- the world's oldest and largest organization of fisheries scientists. Cutthroat trout are prominent feature of the Western fly fishing world. They historically occupied portions of the Colorado River drainage in Wyoming, Colorado and Utah. For just $20, you can register to embark on the challenge. These days, most anglers are aware of the cutthroat, and a good majority understand why they’re so important to Western fisheries. Any knucklehead can cast a small spinner into an Opening Day pool of freshly-stocked trout and catch a few fish. Some of the better known species include the Bonneville, Lahontan, Rio Grande, Colorado River, Snake River, Greenback, and Yellowstone to name a few. The Greenback Cutthroat trout is Colorado’s state fish as well as being a native fish to Colorado. However, if you asked the same question of an avid fly fisherman and he would tell … The Colorado River cutthroat evolved in the Colorado/Green River drainages and is noted for its brilliant coloration. Cutthroat trout are popular gamefish, especially among anglers The Cutthroat (Oncorhynchus clarki) deserves to be state fish, as it is the only trout that is native (indigenous) to Colorado.It has a crimson slash on either side of the throat, below the lower jaw. Cutthroat trout fishes are distinguished by the crimson slash on the either side of their throats and below the lower jaw and they got their name from this feature. The Rio Grande and other waterways near Alamosa support five major species of fish, including rainbow trout, brown trout, brook trout, cutthroat trout and Rio Grande cutthroat. Cutthroat trout is the state fish of Colorado and the only trout that is native to the state unlike other trout species. The Rio Grande cutthroat trout once ranged over much of the upper Rio Grande basin in New Mexico and southern Colorado, according to Craig Springer, fisheries biologist for USFWS in Santa Fe. To learn more about Cutthroat Trout, visit the web pages of Brett Roper and Dennis Shiozawa. According to AllAboutFishing.com, brown trout are the hardest trout to catch in the state and brook trout are the easiest. Photo by Kevin Rogers/CPW. Colorado has some of the best trout fishing destinations in the world.

They have a greenish/brassy coloring, and grow up to 12 inches. Today five remain including the Bonneville (Bear River), Colorado River, Snake River, Yellowstone and Westslope Cutthroat (only found in extreme northwest Wyoming in Yellowstone National Park and not part of the Cutt-Slam). Of the several types of cutthroat trout in Colorado, three are native: the Rio Grande, Colorado River, and the greenback. The state has scores of pristine mountain streams, lakes and rivers that are teeming with rainbows, browns and cutthroats. But if you want to catch trout more consistently—and not to mention some trophy fish—then it's time you got serious with your bait selection. This list of trout fisheries will make any fly fisherman want to get out to Colorado. Colorado trout include brown trout, rainbow trout, cutthroat trout and brook trout. The Utah Cutthroat Slam is a way to have an angling adventure and support our native trout legacy. There are three subspecies of the cutthroat trout that are native to Colorado: the Greenback (the official state fish), the Rio Grande, and the Colorado. Trout thrive on different sources of food in different bodies of water in Colorado, at particular times of year. They can be identified by the greenish coloration on the back and the ringed spots fading to heavy spotting toward and onto the tail. When asked to define the difference between a Rainbow Trout and a Cutthroat Trout, a biologist would tell you that although both species have different origins and ranges, they are both members of the same family and genus Salmonidae oncorhynchus but, that they are also two distinct and different species. Cutthroat trout get their name from the red “slash” mark along the jawline; in Colorado they live in the high lakes and streams of the Rocky Mountains.