How do you identify cutthroat trout?

How do you identify cutthroat trout?

Identification characteristics:

1. Head blunt, jaw long – extends past eye.
2. Small black spots on head & body extending well below lateral line, and on all fins.
3. Red to yellow streaks on underside of jaw.
4. Faint to no red on sides of spawning fish.
5. Length up to 30 inches.

Are there different types of cutthroat trout?

Westslope cutthroat trout
Lahontan cutthroat troutRio Grande cutthroat trout
Cutthroat trout/Lower classifications

What color is the greenback cutthroat trout?

red
The greenback cutthroat’s maximum size is 18 inches (46 cm). It has the largest spots of all cutthroats and is reported to have the most brilliant spawning coloration. Like all cutthroats, it has red coloration in the area of the lower jaw and throat.

How do you tell the difference between a rainbow and a cutthroat trout?

Also, Rainbow Trout differ in appearance from Cutthroat Trout in that their caudal fin is somewhat square and only mildly forked and, they generally display a blue-green or olive-green overall coloration with black spots over the length of their sides and back.

Is a cutthroat trout a rainbow trout?

As a member of the genus Oncorhynchus, it is one of the Pacific trout, a group that includes the widely distributed rainbow trout. Cutthroat trout are popular gamefish, especially among anglers who enjoy fly fishing. The common name “cutthroat” refers to the distinctive red coloration on the underside of the lower jaw.

How many greenback cutthroat trout are there?

It was human stocking — the same practice that had killed off or pushed out so many of Colorado’s native trout — that had accidentally preserved the greenback. With only 800 individuals left in the entire subspecies, it would be up to humans again to save it.

Are cutthroat trout good to eat?

For people that enjoy eating trout, cutthroat trout are usually one of their favorites. Like rainbow trout, you will find plenty of people who love to eat cutthroat trout while others will say they have a stronger taste to them and they don’t prefer to eat them. Many people do eat them.

How big do greenback cutthroat trout get?

The Greenback Cutthroat Trout’s maximum size is 18 inches, and it has the largest spots of all cutthroats. Despite its name, the Greenback Cutthroat’s back is not particularly green.

Is the greenback cutthroat fish endangered in Colorado?

Greenback Cutthroat. Colorado’s State Fish, Greenback Cutthroat Trout are native to the Arkansas and South Platte River basins in Colorado’s Front Range mountains, and a few South Platte tributaries in extreme southeastern Wyoming. It was listed as endangered in 1973 but downlisted to threatened when a recovery plan began in 1978.

What is a greenback cutthroat?

A Greenback from a high altitude stream in Colorado. The greenback cutthroat is a minor subspecies of the Yellowstone cutthroat that is thought to be most directly derived from the Colorado River cutthroat.

Where do cutthroat trout live in Colorado?

Our understanding and knowledge of the distribution and status of cutthroat trout in Colorado have changed dramatically in the past decade. Historically, Greenback Cutthroat Trout (GBCT) were thought to occupy the South Platte and Arkansas River basins in eastern Colorado.