Fishing Forum

Field burning encouraged me to get out of the path of the closest smoke makers. So I went fishing and camping for a few days. What a bummer.......not! Well, it was really cold in the mountains at night, but the days were great. It seemed like the fish didn't really wake up until noon anyway. but even at noon there was still ice in the shade to crunch through.. brrrrr Not too many crazy people fishing, but lots of crazy hunters still around.

One thing about getting out of the smoke, I get to spend time and explore lots of different areas. The first time I saw this stream with all its dying weeds I almost didn’t try it. It looked like a fishless mess. Who forgot to mow the weeds for me this year?! I hate picking gunk off of my line and flies.

Luckily I tried it long enough for the fish to reeducate me about productive waters. I hope that we get a good winter water/snow year that preserves these fish with a little more flow.




It was almost all native cutthroats, and they were extremely fat and healthy. I got broken off and had hooks straightened several times. There are some amazing, beautiful, fish hiding in the weeds and rocks. No more fine wire hooks for me, on this water anyway.

Before noonish the fish mostly hit scuds. It was really hard to fish anything besides a dry fly with the weeds. I resorted to using a two fly rig early in the day and hanging the scud only about 8 to 10 inches below the dry.

By about 11 or 12 though most would hit either a parachute adams (in patriot colors- blue uv body with pink thread butt and head) or a C Creek Special. They seemed to really like a Woodchuck October Caddis also.

So we finally get to some fish porn! Most of the fish I caught were from 10 to 12 inches, but over a few days I did pick up some better ones, and of course those are the ones I take pictures of!


This big boy was the best one that I got a picture of. He went for a C Creek Special. I do apologize for water spots on most of my pictures. It's hard to snap a bunch of pictures of very uncooperative fish and release them quickly without them showering both the camera and me!

What a beauty!


Another better look at him. I promise that is not the ground he is on. It is the top of a floating weed bed.




I caught him in a channel on the other side of an island of weeds. It was an amazing fight to keep it out in the open water away from the weeds. Just as I got it into my net, the hook straightened and came right out. Big fish are rough on flies!


[size 2]A few more fish in all their many colors. Just because I enjoy looking at all their different patterns!


[/size]




This little guy had the coolest bright pink parr marks. I wish the camera would have recorded them better.




I even ran into a couple of rainbows.




But most were cutthroats.










There sure were a lot of weeds,






But all those bugs in the weeds sure produced some FAT fish!







Really FAT!


[signature]

Wow! looks like fun. Thanks for sharing the fish porn. Mike
[signature]

Awesome report. That seems like a great trip.

A lot of food in those waters and the fish know it! Very nice Toads there! Great job.
[signature]

Thanks for sharing a great post.
[signature]

Hi kid your post was impressive. [shocked] Good on ya.[]
I have a problem that maybe you can help. I have a problem distinguishing cutthroats from rainbows and cutbows. Recognizing I live in Ut. and specifically fish mostly the Weber River below Echo, it might be different here???
........I've caught lots of trout that have suspicious colorations and, well, ----- I'm just not sure? We are required to return all cutthroats or fish with cutthroat markings immediately.
It doesn't seem I can rely on red slashes below the gills (what I catch don't) or the lack of a red strip down the middle. etc. Lots are just silver with black spots have red gills. I've tried the fin bit but what I'm catching has mild coloration or on the tan side on annul fins!!! .
Is there a better way, like the lack of spots on the head or the coloration of the annul fins or something else?? I've tried Google, the DWR, etc and just don't seem to get a good answer.
[signature]

Leaky have you asked your DWR what they define as "cutthroat markings". That is the standard you should go by.
I am not sure that all cutthroats' and hybrids markings are the same for the different species of cutthroats. So I will just list some that are for the cutts up here and hope it is the same.

If they are defining it as the red throat slash, make sure you put anything back that has one. That is the most distinguishing "cutthroat mark" most people associate with. Scientifically it isn't very accurate though. Many pure blood rainbows have throat slashes and many pure cutthroats don't ... go figure! But if that rainbow has red slashes I would release it.

Besides the throat slashes next look at fin color. Orange fins are usually cutts. White fin tips or grey fins ...it is usually a rainbow or a cuttbow. If the cutbow, has red throat slashes and your regulations say "cutthroat markings, I would release it even if all of the other signs say hybrid or even rainbow!

Another indication is the number of spots on the head. More than 5 spots on the top of the head usually indicates a bow or a hybrid..(.Yellowstone trout anyway) Again if it has most of the other cutthroat markings .... release it, even if you think it is a hybrid.

Cutthroats have teeth on their and at the base of their , on the roof of their mouth, as well as on their jaws. Much more "toothy" than a pure rainbow. I am very reluctant to get my fingers in a large cutt's mouth. I have had my fingers shredded by them before!

Pure blood rainbows don't have the teeth on the . Hybrids frequently do.

Again I suggest that you request from DWR what their criteria for identification is!
[signature]

Here is a description of the Bonneville Cutt which would be in the Weber. It does a good job of describing the " teeth", which Bonnevilles have fewer of than many other cutts. Note also that their slashes are frequently light in color, and their body color is grayer etc



http://ecos.fws.gov/speciesProfile/profi...pcode=E025


[url "http://www.fws.gov"][/url]
[url "http://www.fws.gov"] [/url]
Species Profile
Environmental Conservation Online System

Bonneville Cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii utah)
Kingdom: Animalia
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Salmoniformes
Family: Salmonidae
Listing Status: Not Listed
Quick links: [url "http://ecos.fws.gov/speciesProfile/profile/speciesProfile.action?spcode=E025#candidate"]Candidate Info[/url] [url "http://ecos.fws.gov/speciesProfile/profile/speciesProfile.action?spcode=E025#status"]Federal Register[/url] [url "http://ecos.fws.gov/speciesProfile/profile/speciesProfile.action?spcode=E025#recovery"]Recovery[/url] [url "http://ecos.fws.gov/speciesProfile/profile/speciesProfile.action?spcode=E025#crithab"]Critical Habitat[/url] [url "http://ecos.fws.gov/speciesProfile/profile/speciesProfile.action?spcode=E025#conservationPlans"]Conservation Plans[/url] [url "http://ecos.fws.gov/speciesProfile/profile/speciesProfile.action?spcode=E025#petitions"]Petitions[/url] [url "http://ecos.fws.gov/speciesProfile/profile/speciesProfile.action?spcode=E025#lifeHistory"]Life History[/url] [url "http://ecos.fws.gov/speciesProfile/profile/speciesProfile.action?spcode=E025#other"]Other Resources[/url]
General Information The Bonneville cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki utah) is a subspecies of Cutthroat trout that once inhabited the Late Pleistocene-aged Lake Bonneville of Utah, eastern Nevada, and Southern Idaho (USA). Since the desiccation of Lake Bonneville into Great Salt Lake which is too salty for any kind of fish life, Bonneville Cutthroats have been isolated in smaller populations in the headwaters of mountain streams and in lakes of the Bonneville Drainage basin. The isolation has resulted in much phenotypic variation among populations. This species is one of 14 recognized subspecies of Cutthroat trout native to the western United States. This fish has sparsely scattered, very distinct round spots over its upper body. They are clothed in subdued colors of silver-gray to charcoal, the upper body having subtle hues of pink on the flanks during spawning. These fish, particularly the Bear Lake strain, often lack the bright crimson jaw slash that, at times, may be yellow. The difference between cutthroat trout and rainbow trout is that cutthroats have basibranchial (hyoid) teeth in their throat between the gill arches and behind the .[1] They also typically have longer heads and jaws than the rainbow and often can be distinguished from the rainbow by their larger spots. Bonneville cutthroat trout primarily eat insects, but large individuals also eat other fish. They spawn near the mouths of streams over gravel substrate in the springtime, having an incubation period of 24 to 25 days.
[signature]

Quote: The difference between cutthroat trout and rainbow trout is that cutthroats have basibranchial (hyoid) teeth in their throat between the gill arches and behind the .[1] They also typically have longer heads and jaws than the rainbow and often can be distinguished from the rainbow by their larger spots.

Thanks kid, I'll try to use this. Still seems dicey!! Seems tough to check the teeth w/o getting cut up and not affecting release, but we'll give it a try.
[signature]

Beautiful fish. Love your pics, keep them coming.
[signature]

I have a better idea. The next doubtful guy I catch, I'll take some pic.s and post em and have you give me your expert opinion.[sly] Will have to take good pics. and much more importantly, remember to do it and post.. That in itself will be a accomplishment for this old fart!!!
[signature]

I would love to see the pictures, but I am not an expert!
[signature]

Those are quite the cutts! Gorgeous.
[signature]

excellent report-thx for the pics!
[signature]