Rocky Mt Grand Slam

[obifishkenobi]

Just curious as to how many you have already caught.

Great question to which I have a poor answer

Not exactly sure. Why? When I was a youngster I just remembered catching fish with Dad not much of what types. As I grew a few whiskers I did not keep accurate notes so my estimate is only of the last 10 years when I have photos or video to veify. I have a pretty good idea that I am at 23 right now. I have no idea about personal best as I rarely carry a scale or tape but for this challenge I will be measuring and tracking

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I have been working on the planning for this project for some time. Our objective is to catch every FRESH WATER game fish of the states  traditionally noted as or west of : Rocky Mountain States

Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington (maybe also AK and BC)

To make it a real challenge we plan to do it all from the bank or ice. 

We are not putting a time limit on this as that would take the fun out of enjoying the trips 

I really get into the research part of this like planning a route and finding the camping spots and learning about species I have never chased before.

So my research has got me a list of 53 species of which around 25 are not available in Utah. Some are listed as a game fish in one state and are available in another and there are a few that are only available in one state. And of course some states have an opportunity to catch a much bigger example of a species than what is normal in Utah (like Cascade Perch). 

Okay here is the list (if you see any mistakes or something you think we missed let me know.  I should note we did not include variations in the same species unless they were remarkably different (like the 4 cutthroat strains in Utah are not listed separately). I may go back and reconsider that as something like the Lahontan Rainbow may be worth tracking separately. Let me know if you think a certain sub species is worth chasing individually. I also have not put pinks and chum salmon on this list (yet) as I have not determined if there is a catchable population without adding in Canada or Alaska. As a side note Colorado has catchable population of Artic Char (who knew), there are Atlantic salmon in the west,  and I did not realize that Bull Trout are Dolly Varden.

I would love to hear from you about any species on this list with ideas about where a great adventure could be had for my pirate crew. You can PM me if you would rather (and if you request we not "youtube" that info I will of course respect that as well)

As Curt mentioned, I also caught my share of Drum in Alabama. I wasn't aware of Atlantic Salmon being out west. I have caught Layhonton Cutts from Pyramid Lake, Nevada and use to frequent that lake occasionally when I use to live in Sacramento.
Can you now check off fish caught from your list or are you starting fresh from the beginning?



My son fishing Pyramid L at 
Hell's Kitchen. This is his PB
12.2lbs Oct 20, 2022


Needles Area north & east side 
Jan 1, 2022 11.3lb Boating is my sons
method, Pyramid is very large 

The west side is only place accessible by road to fish from the bank. Folks who fish from the banks carry 8' ladders into the water to have access to deeper areas. Oct 1-June 30 open for fishing (artificial lure & barbless only), camping, lodging available

I will be starting all over on the list because many of the ones already checked off were caught in a boat and I want to try to pull this off fishing from the bank.

Thanks for the info on Pyramid. I have something of an obsession with the monsters that lurk there earned from reading Outdoor Life stories years ago but I have yet to scratch that itch so it is on my target lications

The Atlantic Salmon were planted in a few locations as an experiment. I have not done enough research yet to know how viable targeting them still might be in those locations.

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I have been working on the planning for this project for some time. Our objective is to catch every FRESH WATER game fish of the states  traditionally noted as or west of : Rocky Mountain States

Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington (maybe also AK and BC)

To make it a real challenge we plan to do it all from the bank or ice. 

We are not putting a time limit on this as that would take the fun out of enjoying the trips 

I really get into the research part of this like planning a route and finding the camping spots and learning about species I have never chased before.

So my research has got me a list of 53 species of which around 25 are not available in Utah. Some are listed as a game fish in one state and are available in another and there are a few that are only available in one state. And of course some states have an opportunity to catch a much bigger example of a species than what is normal in Utah (like Cascade Perch). 

Okay here is the list (if you see any mistakes or something you think we missed let me know.  I should note we did not include variations in the same species unless they were remarkably different (like the 4 cutthroat strains in Utah are not listed separately). I may go back and reconsider that as something like the Lahontan Rainbow may be worth tracking separately. Let me know if you think a certain sub species is worth chasing individually. I also have not put pinks and chum salmon on this list (yet) as I have not determined if there is a catchable population without adding in Canada or Alaska. As a side note Colorado has catchable population of Artic Char (who knew), there are Atlantic salmon in the west,  and I did not realize that Bull Trout are Dolly Varden.

I would love to hear from you about any species on this list with ideas about where a great adventure could be had for my pirate crew. You can PM me if you would rather (and if you request we not "youtube" that info I will of course respect that as well)

Rainbow Trout and Steelhead are the same species, like the Kokanee and Sockeye salmon, only difference is Steelhead and Sockeye have gone to the ocean and back. All salmonid species have the ability to be anadromous, born in fresh water live in salt and return to spawn in fresh water, there are ocean run Cutthroat in many coastal streams. There is Chum and Pink Salmon in Washington state. Interesting fact, Pink salmon only run in the odd years in Washington.

Thanks for the info. I know you wander the water north of my normal routes. I would love to buy you some enchiladas one day and pick your brain a bit.

It is funny you mention the every other year Pink run. I was just reading about that last night. Fascinating cycle. Do you know if that also occurs more North into BC?

Yes pink runs are every other year, there are runs on the even years in Canada and Alaska and a few in Washington though the vast majority in the Pudget sound are on the odd years.