Select a state to find fishing and boating information:
Get A Fishing License
Get started fishing today, purchase your fishing license online, check regulations and more.
Register A Boat
Register your boat today. Learn how to register your vessel, boating laws and more.
Home > Learn to Fish & Boat > Fish Species > Cutthroat Trout
Cutthroat trout are the most widely distributed of all the western trouts of North America.
This is a highly variable fish, in coloration and size. The characteristic that gave the cutthroat its name is the yellow, orange, or red streak in the skin fold on each side under the lower jaw. The color of the body ranges from cadmium blue and silvery (sea-run) to olive-green or yellowish green. There may or may not be red on the sides of the head, front part of the body, and the belly.
They are known from the Eel River, California north to Prince William Sound, Alaska. Inland non-anadromous forms occur from southern Alberta, Canada to as far south as New Mexico, as far east as Colorado and most of Montana and west as far as Alberta and eastern California. A small, disjunct population which may have been transplanted to other locations, including the east coast of Quebec, Canada (1942), where it began to appear in anglers’ catches in 1966. The following list includes additional details on where to catch this fish:
The following are fishing methods used to catch this fish:
The following are lures, tackle or bait that can be used to catch this fish:
Travel Fly Fishing Tips
Read More
How to Winterize a Boat and Store It Till Spring
How to Fish for Trout in a Lake: Tips for Catching Rainbows
Do you like this content? Subscribe to our Newsletter and get all the information you need to learn, plan, and equip for your next fishing and boating adventure.
NEWSLETTER SIGNUP
Sign-up to receive our monthly newsletter with interesting blogs about fishing and boating. Get fishing tips and tricks and read personal stories from anglers who live and breathe fishing and boating. Learn new fishing skills, boating resources, fishing etiquette, conservation and more.
Please complete the following fields to subscribe to our newsletter.
SUBSCRIBERS PREFERENCES
What information would you like?