Coastal Cutthroat Trout

by Max McDermott

COASTAL
CUTTHROAT TROUT

Introduction: Although
it is not very well known to most people, the Coastal cutthroat trout is
fairly common in both freshwater and saltwater throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Description: The Coastal
cutthroat trout or sea-run cutthroat is a fairly slender fish, usually five
times longer than it is deep. The tail is slightly forked and all of the
tins are rayed. The redmarks on the jaw that give the cutthroat trout its
name are only found on the coastal subspecies when it is in freshwater to
spawn. While some inland subspecies have been known to reach lengths of
up to 30 inches and weights up to 41 pounds coastal cutthroats rarely reach
the weight of 3 pounds.

Life History: The Coastal
cutthroat trout begins its 6 to 9 year life in small to medium-sized streams.
After about two years of living in freshwater, the young trout head to the
estuaries and near shore waters close to their natal streams where they
remain for a year or two. After that they return in the winter or spring
to their home streams where they spawn. The female digs a red in a gravelly
stretch of the stream and lays her eggs while the male fertilizes the eggs.
After this process is complete, the coastal cutthroat will either return
to the saltwater or remain in the stream.

Habitat: While in saltwater,
the Coastal cutthroat trout prefers estuaries and near shore waters over
gravel. In freshwater it prefers fallen trees, boulders, undercut banks
and other types of structure. Other subspecies may inhabit alpine lakes
and streams as well as those in lowland areas.

Range: The Coastal cutthroat
trout inhabits waters from southern Alaska to northern California. Other
subspecies inhabit areas further inland.

Food: The Coastal cutthroat trout is an aggressive feeder, preying
on shrimp, sand lance, sculpins and other shallow water creatures. Freshwater
cutthroats prefer terrestrial insects, aquatic insects, sculpins, salmon
fry and other small fish.

Food Value: Although
it has no real commercial value, the Coastal cutthroat is prized by anglers
as both a food fish and a sport fish.

Other Cutthroat Subspecies:

Lahontan Cutthroat

Piute Cutthroat

Yellowstone Cutthroat

Utah Cutthroat

Colorado Cutthroat

Rio Grande Cutthroat

Snake River Cutthroat