Westslope Cutthroat Trout

Also known as: Cutthroat
B.C. record: Westslope cutthroat trout can attain lengths of over 50 cm (19.7 in) in some of the larger, more productive rivers in the East Kootenays.
Average size: 30 - 35 cm (11.8 - 13.8 in), 0.3 - 0.5 kg (0.7 - 1.1 lbs)

What they look like: Like coastal cutthroat trout, westslope cutthroat trout have a red or orange streak under their lower jaw. Most of the black spots on this fish are found towards the tail, which is usually heavily spotted and yellowish in colour. They are generally silver coloured with yellowish tints, but can have very bright yellow, orange or red colours, especially the males during the spawning season.

Where they live:
The young spend their early life in gravelly spawning streams, while adults can be found in lakes, streams and rivers, including mountain lakes and streams above 2,400 metres in elevation.

In British Columbia, they are found along the west slopes of the Rocky Mountains, in the upper Kootenay River and its tributaries from the Montana border to its headwaters. They are also present in the Flathead River drainage system in the southeast corner of the province and in the upper Columbia River tributaries, upstream of Kinbasket Reservoir. A few isolated populations also exist in the Kootenays and Okanagan Valley.

What they eat: Westslope cutthroat feed mainly on invertebrates such as aquatic insect larvae. Grasshoppers are also a favourite food during August and September.

Find detailed information in the Ministry of Environment's Fish Facts Factsheets: > MORE INFO