![]() ![]() Typically trout that live in streams and creeks will be smaller, weighing in at around 0.4 to 3.2 ounces. At the age of maturity, usually, after three to five years, they can be from six to 40 inches long. How big do Cutthroat Trout get?ĭue to having several different species across different habitats, the size of a cutthroat trout can vary greatly. Depending on the location, cutthroat trout can range in color from golden to gray to green backs. Restoration efforts to combat this loss is made by raising trout in hatcheries and stocking both native and non-native lakes. There are 14 subspecies of cutthroat trout, with several of them considered threatened due to habitat loss, and two are considered extinct. They are the official state fish of seven states. The name cutthroat comes from the distinguishing red coloration under their jaw, and the scientific name clarkii is in honor of William Clark, of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Generally most rainbow trout are between a half pound and 5 pounds, and lake-dwelling or anadromous fish can get to 20 pounds or more, behaving and appearing much more like a salmon than a trout from a small stream.Ĭutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii), or “cutties”, are a freshwater member of the Salmonidae family that are a popular gamefish in North America, especially for fly fishermen. Fishing the streams of the Appalachians you’ll be happy with a 1/2 pound fish but head to Alaska and you’ll expect 10 pounders. Rainbow trout size is an interesting question, because a “good” sized rainbow trout depends entirely on where you are and how big the waterway is. Aside from bass & panfish they are the most common freshwater fish sought in the US. They can be somewhat picky with presentation and skittish in general, which makes them all the more of a treat and a challenge. Rainbow trout are probably the most common trout globally and therefore the most commonly caught, and they are a many a beginner’s introduction to fishing in streams around the world, particularly those fishing on the fly. They can often appear greenish/silver above and below the lateral line. Adult rainbow trout can vary in color depending on habitat and location (and steelhead trout vary even more), but they are generally distinguished by a broad red stripe along their lateral line that is most prominent along the line and fades as it expands out. Steelhead have also been introduced and do well in the Great Lakes area, spawning upstream from the lakes and erstwhile living in the lakes. While rainbow trout have been introduced into streams all over the world, steelhead rely on clear waterways in the Pacific Northwest to spawn. Steelhead are the state fish of Washington, and are much more threatened than rainbow trout due to a much lower distribution and greater changes to their native habitat. Steelhead are a distinct anadromous form of coastal rainbow trout, meaning they live in saltwater but return up freshwater tributaries to spawn after a few years. Rainbow trout have been transported around the world mainly for sport, and are now found on every continent except Antarctica, in many places providing a great gamefish opportunity where previously there was little. It is actually one of the top invasive species around the world, mostly due to the breadth through which the fish has been manually spread, but they can also have a big impact on native species mostly through out-competing them. Arguably the most iconic freshwater species to catch on the fly in North America, the rainbow trout is a salmonid native to cold-waters feeding into the Pacific Ocean on both the Western side of North America and the Eastern part of Asia, although the species has been introduced worldwide. ![]()
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