| If you have caught Rainbow, Brown, and Brook trout | | | | any of the other hybrids much thought. I jumped into |
| it may be time to try to catch some of the more | | | | hybrids last year with a trip to Utah to catch Tiger |
| exotic trout species. I had this revelation a few years | | | | Trout and Splake. I had a ball and caught several of |
| ago after a trout fishing rip to Montana. We fly-fish | | | | each species from Forsyth Reservoir located in the |
| for everything and caught a lot of fish but they | | | | Fishlake National Forest. Tiger trout lived up to their |
| were mostly Rainbow and Brown that are typical for | | | | name fought well, and are terrific looking fish while |
| the area around West Yellowstone, Montana. We | | | | Splake are just really pretty. This introduction to |
| also caught a few small Brook and a couple of | | | | hybrid trout led to additional species and more |
| Cut-bows (Rainbow/Cutthroat hybrid) in about a | | | | information. Hybrid trout are different in many ways. |
| week of fishing. I had lived out west for many years | | | | State Fish and Game Departments have created |
| and have seen many different rivers, lakes and trout. | | | | these fish for several different reasons, but there |
| I decided to find out how many trout species there | | | | are also unwanted hybrids. Cut-bows and the Bull |
| were in North America and see how difficult it would | | | | Brook Trout cross are unintended hybrids that were |
| be to catch them all. The quest was on! It turns out | | | | created when Rainbows were introduced into |
| that there are twenty trout species, but that number | | | | Cutthroat areas and Brook Trout were introduced |
| has been revised several times during the quest. The | | | | into Bull Trout habitat respectively. Both of these |
| problem is that hybrids keep showing up, and a cross | | | | hybrids have reduced the populations of native trout |
| between a bull trout and brook trout turned up last | | | | and are one of the reasons that Bull Trout are |
| month so the total number of species continues to | | | | endangered and some of the Cutthroat subspecies |
| climb and has reached twenty-one. | | | | no longer exist. Most of the wildlife agencies are |
| I have been able to catch 15 of the different species | | | | trying to remove the introduced fish, the hybrids, and |
| up to this point, and there have been many | | | | restore the native trout. |
| adventures and different places to fish. The quest | | | | All of the created hybrids seem to be exceptional |
| has required fishing parts of North America that I | | | | fish. Tiger Trout, Splake, Golden Rainbow, and Albino |
| would have otherwise never considered. Many of the | | | | Rainbow are beautiful fish the serve a purpose in the |
| unique species are native to the western United | | | | States were they are being stocked. Splake are the |
| States. Golden Trout, Bull Trout, Gila Trout, and | | | | oldest hybrid in North America, and were created in |
| Apache Trout are good examples of what the west | | | | the 1800s in several New England fish hatcheries. |
| holds. Golden Trout are native to California but exist | | | | They are a cross between Lake Trout and Brook |
| in Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho. Bull Trout are found | | | | Trout (Speckled Trout), and hence the hybrid name |
| in Montana, Idaho, and Oregon while Gila are only | | | | Splake. They are beautiful fish that are stocked in |
| found in New Mexico, and Apache only in Arizona. | | | | many States and Canadian Provinces. Maine and |
| Some of the extreme part of this trout adventure is | | | | Canada use Splake in areas where other trout |
| extreme travel. I have been fortunate in that regard | | | | species do not do well. This hybrid has exceptional |
| and have lived in the western United States and | | | | characteristics. They have an exceptional growth |
| Alaska, and this has made my trout quest a little | | | | rate, are hardy, can tolerated warmer water, are |
| easier. Two of the trout on the list are common in | | | | resistant to disease, and are not difficult to catch. |
| Alaska. Steelhead and Dolly Varden existed in many | | | | That last statement is from a fish and wildlife |
| of the streams and rivers in the southeastern islands | | | | department and I would question that a little bit. I |
| of Alaska that were not far from my Ketchikan | | | | have fished for Splake in several different parts of |
| home. | | | | the United States and Canada and have not caught |
| Some of the trout do not get particularly large, but | | | | very many. They are out there, but require some |
| are so unique and difficult to find and catch that it is | | | | work to catch. The western states use Splake |
| a thrill to see one and get a picture. All of the fish | | | | because they are resistant to whirling disease that |
| have been released with a couple of exceptions. | | | | has taken a toll of many western trout species. Tiger |
| Read on about Aurora Trout. The three most rare | | | | Trout are also resistant to disease and are used in |
| trout are the Sunapee, Aurora and Gila. They are | | | | the west for the same reason as Splake. Tiger Trout |
| difficult to find and difficult to catch. Aurora exist in | | | | are a cross between Brook Trout and Brown Trout, |
| nine lakes in northern Ontario, Canada and are | | | | and have the fighting characteristics of the Browns. |
| endangered. Limited fishing was opened for Aurora in | | | | They are aggressive, make long deep runs, and are |
| 2006 and only three lakes are open to fishing each | | | | fun to catch. The other two hybrids have been |
| year. There is a one fish limit, you must keep | | | | created by selective breeding and are color forms of |
| anything that is caught, and you may only have one | | | | Rainbow Trout. Albino Rainbow are true albinos in |
| fish in your possession. Aurora are a true one and | | | | that they do not have any color pigment. They are a |
| done scenario, and are difficult to catch. They tend | | | | white trout with red eyes, and are stocked only in |
| to be a deep water fish when the season is open | | | | Utah. This fish is used as part of the States urban |
| (the season opens August 1), require deep sinking fly | | | | fishing program and is stocked on a put and take |
| line, a minnow imitation, and lots of patience. I caught | | | | basis. Golden Rainbow first showed up in a West |
| one fish in three days of fishing. Gila Trout are also | | | | Virginia Trout Hatchery in 1954 as an abnormality in a |
| endangered and are native to New Mexico. Limited | | | | Rainbow Trout hatch. The fish was so beautiful that |
| fishing was opened for Gila in 2007. They are a small | | | | West Virginia decided to try to selective breed the |
| stream fish that live in the deep mountains of | | | | fish. They were successful and introduced the fish |
| western New Mexico. Small nymphs worked best, | | | | with experimental stocking in the 1960s. The |
| but several small Browns and Rainbows were also | | | | stockings were a hit with anglers in the State and |
| caught. Getting to them is difficult and fishing for | | | | have been stocked every since. Pennsylvania also |
| them is small stream stalking with a stealthy | | | | stocks a color variation of the Golden Rainbow that |
| presentation. Sunapee may be the most difficult of all | | | | is called a Palomino Trout and is a little lighter shade |
| of the North American trout to find. They were | | | | of yellow. |
| native to New Hampshire and Vermont but no longer | | | | I have learned several things during my trout |
| exist in those States. Sunapee are Char and when | | | | adventure. My favorite trout so far are Cutthroat, |
| Lake Trout were introduced into the native Sunapee | | | | Tiger, and Apache. Cutthroat are the true North |
| lakes they hybridized with the Lakers and | | | | American trout. There are 12 subspecies of Cutthroat |
| disappeared. Maine did save some of the Sunapee | | | | and you can spend a lifetime just catching all of the |
| and does have a few lakes where they can be | | | | subspecies of this magnificent trout. I have caught |
| caught. I caught one Sunapee this year in a driving | | | | eight of the subspecies and really enjoy fishing for |
| rain-storm with hail from Long Pond, Maine. Extreme | | | | Cutthroat. I think part of that enjoyment is that they |
| fishing conditions for extreme fish! | | | | live in some of the prettiest county in the world. |
| There are many other different trout that are | | | | Tiger and Apache Trout are similar in that they are |
| difficult to reach and catch. Golden Trout are one of | | | | aggressive and fight well. Both are uniquely marked |
| the most beautiful fish in the world and exist only in | | | | and fun to have on the other end on you fly rod. |
| the cleanest and clearest water high in the western | | | | There are a variety of things to keep in mind if you |
| mountains. They are native to California but were | | | | want to begin this trout quest. You will be traveling |
| introduced years ago to several other western | | | | throughout North America and much of that travel |
| states. The largest fish today seem to be in Montana | | | | will be on unimproved roads. An SUV with four-wheel |
| and Wyoming, but large is somewhat of a misnomer | | | | drive is needed for some of the travel. The species |
| for Golden. The state record fish are in the 5-6 | | | | are different in likes and dislikes. Some prefer lakes |
| pound range, but most Goldens are less than | | | | while others are stream fish, and this requires both |
| 12-inches. The world record Golden was caught years | | | | wading and tubing with a fly rod. With the exception |
| ago. I am fishing Montana next year for Golden and | | | | of Steelhead and Dolly Varden, all of the largest trout |
| hope to catch a fish in the 2-pound range. That is a | | | | I have caught have been out of a tube. So tubing is |
| monster Golden, but they do exist in some lakes. Bull | | | | a good thing. Do your homework. Find out all you can |
| Trout are also a western trout on the endangered | | | | about the area to be fished and what the best |
| species list. They are native to Montana, Idaho, and | | | | conditions are for success. Most of the trout species |
| Oregon, and there is a limited season for these fish in | | | | are aquatic insect eaters and nymph fishing often |
| Montana and Oregon. Bull trout are very similar to | | | | produces good results. Lake Trout, larger Splake, and |
| Dolly Varden and are sometimes difficult to tell apart. | | | | Aurora are almost exclusively minnow and forage fish |
| I have caught Bull trout in the Bitteroot Mountains of | | | | eaters, and to do well with those species some type |
| Montana. These trout can get large, but size is | | | | of minnow imitation is required. In some cases it is |
| directly related to the size of the water being fished. | | | | important to know when to fish. Lake Trout and |
| This species is mostly found in rivers and streams, | | | | Splake fishing seems to be best early in the year |
| but Flathead Lake, Montana does have a population | | | | shortly after ice-out. Both of those species are lake |
| of Bull Trout. | | | | fish, prefer cold water, and will retreat to the depths |
| Somewhere along the way I decided to add all of | | | | as the water warms. |
| the hybrid trout species to the list of trout to be | | | | If you want to try some different fishing, search for |
| caught. I had caught Cut-bows, but had never given | | | | the unknown trout and try extreme trout fishing! |