Don’t let the name intimidate you: cutthroat trout have to be tough to survive in a watery world and maintain their status as Colorado's only native trout species.
However, their name comes from the distinctive red “slash” of color across their “throat,” not from their tough reputation.
They primarily feed on aquatic insects and grow to an average of 8-10 inches long and live in high mountain lakes and streams that have a mix of cool, deep pools and fast-moving riffles and rapids. Cutthroat trout spawn in the spring and the newly hatched fish (a.k.a. fry) emerge from the gravel stream bottom one to two months later.
Four subspecies of cutthroat trout are native to Colorado: The yellowfin cutthroat (currently believed to be extinct); the Rio Grande cutthroat in the San Luis Valley and New Mexico; the greenback cutthroat (Colorado’s official state fish) in the South Platte River Basin; and the Colorado River cutthroat on the western slope, including Eagle County. The Colorado River Cutthroat subspecies is divided genetically into three separate lineages: the San Juan, green, and blue lineages. These genetically distinct populations were historically separated by geographic barriers like mountain ranges. Research is currently being done to learn more about the genetic purity of different lineage populations, and the extent of each lineage’s historic range.
Courtesy of the Summit Daily News.
