Smolts typically enter the salt water from March to June at an age of two to five years old, with later timing and older ages for smolts found in the northern part of their range Trotter , Johnson et al. After entering marine waters, Cutthroat smolts become increasingly piscivorous once the grow larger than 5. Kelts, which are post-spawn fish returning to the saltwater, generally migrate out to sea around the same time as the smolts.
Upon smolting in between March and May, Coastal Cutthroat in tributaries to the lower Columbia River leave their tributaries and make directed migrations into the ocean, with a mean travel time of 5 days after entering the mainstem Columbia River, although some fish did remain in the estuary throughout the summer Zydlewski et al.
In contrast Coastal Cutthroat kelts from the lower Columbia River make much more extensive use of freshwater water after moving out of tributaries. These Cutthroat typically remained in the lower Columbia for days before moving into marine waters, occupying the mainstem, side channels, backwaters, and other tributary streams Hudson et al.
These Columbia River Cutthroat often make extensive migrations and are found further offshore than Coastal Cutthroat populations in more protected waters such as the Salish Sea. One fish from the lower Columbia River was documented traveling 40 miles 65 km south of the Columbia River in two weeks and most travel miles km off the Coast of Washington and Oregon Johnston , Zydlewski et al. Similar patterns have also been found in marine waters off the coast of California, Oregon, and Washington, with fish being caught in surface waters between May and August, however very little is known about these ocean-migrations Pearcy et al.
In contrast, in many coastal rivers, Cutthroat may exhibit a strictly estuarine life history, where they never migrate to the open ocean. Instead, these fish forage in the tidally influences portions of the rivers, exhibiting strong site fidelity to specific locations and favoring main stem sites over marsh and side channel habitat Krentz et al. While estuarine resident Cutthroat are highly opportunistic, they appear to select for certain prey items depending on the habitat they are utilizing.
In the Hood Canal and South Puget Sound, most Coastal Cutthroat remain within 6 miles 10 km of their natal streams and are typically shore oriented, but some fish do travel over 25 miles 40 km from their natal streams Goetz et al.
Interestingly Coastal Cutthroat x Coastal Rainbow Trout hybrids from the Hood Canal appeared to travel much further than pure Coastal Cutthroat and with migrations that represent an intermediate between sea-run Cutthroat and Steelhead Moore et al. While in marine waters Cutthroat seem to have a strong site fidelity and are often found along the same beaches throughout the year Losee et al.
While in the marine environment Coastal Cutthroat prefer shallower nearshore waters between ten and twenty feet deep and feed heavily on baitfish such as Pacific Sand Lance, Staghorn Sculpin, Shinner Perch salmon fry, and Pacific Herring Jauqet , Duffy and Beauchamp , Pearcy et al. Krill and other small crustaceans as well as Polychaetae worms also make up a substantial portion of their diet, especially for Coastal Cutthroat overwintering in the saltwater Jauqet While foraging in marine waters, Coastal Cutthroat growth as fast, however, despite this and unlike other anadromous salmonids Coastal Cutthroat do not attain a very large size in marine waters with an apparent maximum size of around lbs.
Unlike other species of Cutthroat Trout, the Coastal Cutthroat has maintained a hold across its entire native range. However, this is not to say that they have not suffered declines since the arrival of Euro-Americans and this is especially true for the migratory life history types of these fish, which have experienced some localized extinctions and severe reductions in abundance in other populations. In particular the sea-run Coastal Cutthroat population in the Umpqua River suffered precipitous declines since the 's with returns numbering less than 50 in the early 's.
During the status review associated with the petitioned listing, the National Marine Fisheries Service and U. However, once again this listing did not last as when additional data was assessed on the population trends it became apparent that while some populations were depressed the overall DPS was not in as bad of shape as had been assumed Anderson Coast, Central B.
Coast, and Northern B. Coast and Mountains Outer Coast , as well as undesignated populations in Alaska. Of these populations in Canada, none are currently listed, although the Georgian Depression and Southern B. Coast has suffered declines, particularly in urbanized areas Slaney and Roberts Of the known extinct populations, two are found in Washington State and 15 occur in British Columbia Trotter The threats to Coastal Cutthroat have come from a variety of issues with the major players being the 4 H's, which were covered in the pages on the five species of Pacific salmon.
Due to this fact, they do not readily hybridize with native Rainbows as the two species take advantage of different parts of streams for spawning habitat. However, this coexistence between the Rainbow and Cutthroat Trout may break down when hatchery Rainbow Trout, which have not evolved to coexist with the Cutthroat are introduced.
Where hybrids are found, they have been shown to occur much more commonly in juvenile fish than adult fish, indicating that there is a negative effect on the fitness of hybrid fish Johnson et al. Isolated stream resident Coastal Cutthroat populations often have a lower abundance when compared to below barrier populations and have not coevolved with Rainbow Trout and as such more susceptible to competition hybridization with hatchery Rainbow Trout and within several generations of the introduction of Rainbow Trout all that often remains of the Cutthroat population is a hybrid swarm Behnke , Connolly and Sauter Where Coastal Cutthroat occur with other species, Rainbow Trout and juvenile salmon often generally out compete the Cutthroat, resulting in the Cutthroat having to utilize less than ideal portions of the stream as habitat.
The native range of the Coastal Cutthroat is directly tied to occurrence of the Pacific Northwest temperate rainforest and as such these fish have been greatly impacted logging and urbanization across the region.
Coastal Cutthroat utilize the higher reaches of small tributary streams as spawning and rearing habitat making them very susceptible to population loss due to poor logging practices. A study done by Young et al. It also took the stream over ten years to fully recover to pre-logging levels. Connolly and Hall suggested that Cutthroat populations in extensively clear-cut streams may remain low for fifty years of more due to a lack of large woody debris and shade from conifers.
However, with more environmentally friendly logging practices such as forested buffer areas in the stream riparian zone, the negative impacts of logging can be largely mitigated. Bateman et al. Interestingly, as other species of salmon and trout have declined in urban streams, Coastal Cutthroat often become the dominant species McMillan et al.
Silver et al. Although commercial fishing for Coastal Cutthroat does not currently occur, there is some degree of Cutthroat by-catch in certain salmon fisheries, but it is unknown what amount of impact this has on Cutthroat populations. Cutthroat from small streams often depend on a low number of spawning adults to maintain the population and can be extremely susceptible to over-harvest or mortality associated with fishing. As such it is important that the proper gear smaller hooks and preferably flies which have been shown to have the lowest mortality rate and catch and release methods are followed to minimize mortality of these fish.
In marine waters, such as the Puget Sound, Coastal Cutthroat have strong site fidelity and fish from multiple spawning populations often become intermixed. This results in an increased susceptibility of small stream populations to over harvest Losee et al.
To account for this, in Oregon adopted catch and release regulations on Coastal Cutthroat in marine waters and Washington did the same thing in It is believed that these regulations are believed to have improved Cutthroat abundance, but little monitoring of Coastal Cutthroat abundance has occurred and the status of many populations is unknown.
The data that is available suggests that some populations, such as anadromous fish in the Umpqua River and lower Columbia are still depressed, but that most populations are relatively healthy and at stable levels of abundance. Coastal Cutthroat trout have one of the most unique appearances among the Cutthroat Trout species.
Unlike other Cutthroat Trout, Coastal Cutthroat often have spots across their entire body, which range in size from tiny to a large size close to that of inland Cutthroat. However, the spotting pattern can be extremely variable and ranges from very sparse on some fish to so profuse that the spots become interconnected on other fish.
The coloration on their backs is generally greenish-brown or bronze and both anadromous and adfluvial forms tend to have silvery sides with tints of greenish-yellow or golden-yellow. Stream resident Coastal Cutthroat may have either a copper or golden-yellow coloration on their sides and retain violet or purplish color parr marks through adulthood.
However, parr marks typically fade away on larger migratory fish. The fins are yellow, pink or a reddish-orange color and the anal and pelvic fins may be tipped with white. Coastal Cutthroat may show a rosy color along their lateral line and have a red, orange of crimson slash under their jaws, although these markings often fade on anadromous fish while in marine waters.
A rosy, golden yellow or silvery color is typically found on gill plates which can become intensely colored with red during spawning.
As Coastal Cutthroat near spawning they become an intense golden yellow color on their sides, which transitions to a dull bronze color as the season progresses. A map of the native range of the Coastal Cutthroat trout. Data Source: Behnke and Trotter Anderson, B. Sproat Lake adfluvial piscivorous Cutthroat Trout stock assessment: via experimental method horizontal limnetic gillnets.
Nanaimo, British Columbia. Anderson, J. Coastal cutthroat trout in Washington State: status and management. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Olympia, Washington. Bateman, D. Gresswell, D. Warren, D. Leer, J. Light and J. Fish response to contemporary timber harvest practices in a second-growth forest from the central Coast Range of Oregon. Forest Ecology and Management Beauchamp, D.
Vecht and G. Temporal, spatial, and size-related foraging of wild Cutthroat Trout in Lake Washington. Northwest Science 66 3 : LaRiviere and G. Evaluation of competition and predation as limits to juvenile kokanee and sockeye salmon production in Lake Ozette, Washington.
North American Journal of Fisheries Management Behnke, R. Native trout of western North America. American Fisheries Society Monograph 6. American Fisheries Society, Bethesda, Maryland. Buehrens, T. Glasgow, C. Ostberg and T. Spatial segregation of spawning habitat limits hybridization between sympatric native steelhead and coastal cutthroat trout. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 1 : Bulkley, R.
Hansen and D. A summary of Coastal Cutthroat Trout studies Oregon State Game Commission. University of Oregon. Corvallis, Oregon. Connolly, P. Wade, J. Hutchison and J. Long Tom subbasin fish management plan. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Salem, Oregon. Biomass of coastal cutthroat trout in unlogged and previously clear-cut basins in the central Coast Range of Oregon.
Transactions of the American Fisheries Society The role of barriers in the abundance and persistence of Coastal Cutthroat Trout in the Columbia River gorge. Pages in P. Connolly, T. Williams, and R. Gresswell, editors. The coastal cutthroat trout symposium: status, management, biology, and conservation. Duffy, E. Seasonal patterns of predation on juvenile Pacific salmon by anadromous Cutthroat Trout in Puget Sound.
Ellings, C. Cederholm and G. The influence of spawning Pacific salmon on the stable isotope composition, feeding behavior, and caloric intake of Coastal Cutthroat Trout. Foster, M. Masters Thesis. University of Alaska. Fairbanks, Alaska. Glova, G. Management implications of the distribution and diet of sympatric populations of juvenile coho salmon and coastal cutthroat trout in small streams in British Columbia, Canada.
The Progressive Fish-Culturist 46 4 : The cutthroat's upper jaw also extends past the back edge of the eye, where is does not in rainbow except for rainbow over 20 inches. Average inches. Coastal cutthroat can grow to inches in quality populations. Washington anglers must have an annual freshwater license if you are fishing in rivers, streams and lakes, while a saltwater license is necessary to fish in marine waters. A combination fishing license allows anglers to fish in both freshwater and saltwater.
Licenses can be purchased online ; by telephone at ; or at hundreds of license dealers across the state. Information on fishing regulations and seasons is available in the sportfishing rule pamphlet and the Fish Washington app , which conveys up-to-the-minute fishing rules for every lake, river, stream and marine area in the state. Resident coastal cutthroat trout are widely distributed throughout western Washington west of the Cascades.
They are also present in lakes, along with tributaries to the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Hood Canal, Puget Sound, coastal streams, and in tributaries of the lower Columbia River. Although a resident cutthroat trout may be found throughout a stream, the majority of them are found in small headwater streams above impassable barriers.
Fishing is best for Coastal Cutthroat in the spring and fall. There is a summer lull as fish move offshore into deeper waters to escape the summer heat in July and August. Catch is lowest in the late-winter while adults are spawning in tributary streams. Resident cutthroat trout are aggressive and opportunistic feeders, preying on insects, leeches, crustaceans, and fish. They prefer to occupy deep pools or locations along lake shorelines, especially where there is an abundant amount of submerged debris.
Stillfishing and trolling are two popular methods used to fish for resident coastal cutthroat trout. In addition to bait, resident coastal cutthroat trout can be caught using a wide variety of artificial lures and flies. Fly fishers will want to "match the hatch" and some popular types of fly patterns are nymphs, streamers, and dry flies. As the water temperature warms up during the summer, the fish will be found closer to the bottom.
As with any species, before beginning your fishing trip for resident coastal cutthroat trout, you will want to check the regulations for the location you will fish. Many streams in the Puget Sound region are closed to fishing unless stated otherwise in the regulations pamphlet.
There may also be some gear restrictions. Translation limitations and disclaimer. Category : Fish. Common names : Red-throat, Harvest trout. Description and Range Physical description.
Regulations Licenses and Permits Washington anglers must have an annual freshwater license if you are fishing in rivers, streams and lakes, while a saltwater license is necessary to fish in marine waters. Rules and Seasons Information on fishing regulations and seasons is available in the sportfishing rule pamphlet and the Fish Washington app , which conveys up-to-the-minute fishing rules for every lake, river, stream and marine area in the state.
Where to fish Resident coastal cutthroat trout are widely distributed throughout western Washington west of the Cascades. Lakes where this species may be found. Clallam County Beaver Lake. Dickey Lake. Lake Pleasant. Lake Sutherland. Wentworth Lake. Clark County Battle Ground Lake. Klineline Pond. Cowlitz County Merrill Lake. Yale Reservoir. Grays Harbor County Failor Lake.
Lake Aberdeen. Quigg Lake. Sylvia Lake. Wynoochee Lake. Admiralty Bay Pd - W. Resident fish generally reach sexual maturity between the ages of 2 and 3 years whereas sea-run fish rarely spawn before age 4 Johnson et al. Sexually mature trout can demonstrate precise homing capabilities in their migrations to natal streams. In northern California, coastal cutthroat trout migrate upstream to spawn after the first significant rain, beginning in fall. Peak spawning occurs in December in larger streams and January to February in smaller streams Johnson et al.
Ripe or nearly ripe females have been caught from September to April in California streams, indicating a prolonged spawning period. Females dig redds in clean gravels with their tails predominantly in the tails of pools in low gradient reaches, often with low flows less than 0. The completed redds average around 35 cm in diameter by cm deep. After spawning is completed, the female covers her redd with about cm of gravel.
Each female may mate with numerous males. Fecundity ranges from 1, to 1, eggs for females between 20 and 40 cm TL and increases with the size and age of females. Coastal cutthroat trout are iteroparous with a higher incidence of repeat spawning than steelhead. They can spawn every year but post-spawning mortality can be quite high. Maximum age recorded for coastal cutthroat is 14 years, from Sand Creek, Oregon Trotter Eggs hatch after weeks of incubation, depending on temperature.
Fry and Juveniles While their yolk sac is absorbed alevins remain in the gravel for an additional 1 to 2 weeks. Alevins emerge as fry between March and June, with peak emergence during mid-April, then spend the summer in backwaters and stream margins Johnson et al. Juveniles remain in the upper watershed until approximately 1 year in age at which point they may move extensively throughout the watershed.
Once this age is reached, it is difficult to determine the difference between sea-bound smolts and silvery parr moving back up into the watershed Johnson et al. Smolt Emigration and Cutthroat in the Ocean Sea-run cutthroat trout generally make their first migrations when two to three years old, although they can enter sea water as late as their fifth year.
Smolts or adults entering the saltwater environment remain close to the shore and do not normally venture more than about 7 km from the edge of the coast Johnson et al. Typically, they stay in or close to the plume of the river in which they were reared Trotter Individuals can spend prolonged periods months in estuaries, often moving in and out of fresh water, likely taking advantage of different feeding and rearing habitats.
In the marine environment, cutthroat trout feed on various crustaceans and fishes, including Pacific sand lance Ammodytes hexapterus , salmonids, herring and sculpins.
Marine predators include Pacific hake Merluccius productus , spiny dogfish Squalus acanthias , harbor seals Phoca vitulina and adult salmon Pauley et al. Coastal cutthroat trout require cool, clean water with plenty of cover and deep pools for holding in summer. They prefer small, low gradient coastal streams and estuarine habitats, including lagoons.
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