Key points
- Range: native to the upper Columbia, Fraser and Saskatchewan watersheds of BC and Alberta (source). In the Kootenays, the East Kootenays are primarily cutthroat fisheries (West Kootenays skew rainbow) .
- Status: Threatened in its native Alberta range and a species of concern in BC; hybridization with introduced rainbows (see Cutbow) is the main threat (source).
- Behaviour: free-rising; a bit of sparkle/shine brings them to the surface .
- Selectivity: during blanket hatches they focus on specific patterns — match the hatch .
- Where: Goat River, feeder creeks (Sanca, Kidd, Summit, Meadow), alpine lakes like Wooden Shoe Lake (Trailhead) and Boundary. Within a day's drive, Fernie's Elk River is world-renowned for big topwater "cutties" .
- Neighbours: shares East Kootenay water with rainbow, bull trout, brook char, kokanee, Rocky Mountain whitefish and bass .
- Flies: Royal Wulff, Chubby Chernobyl, and other attractor dries; nymphs like the Copper John and Pat's Rubber Legs when feeding subsurface.
Fishing by region
- Regulations, seasons, and the waters to target vary by region — in the Kootenays, see Trout Fishing in the Kootenays.
Related
- Small-Stream Dry-Fly for Cutthroat — the core technique.
- Goat River — best local river for them.
- Royal Wulff — confidence dry.
Sources
- — range, behaviour, selectivity.
- Wikipedia — Westslope cutthroat trout — Canadian range and conservation status.
