In search of Westslope Cutthroat Trout

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By Troutnut on July 22nd, 2017

Since moving to Washington in April, I've had a few chances to escape the crowds of the Seattle area and explore east of the Cascades, but one of my longtime goals -- to finally catch my first unambiguous, bonafide, beautiful Westslope Cutthroat -- had eluded me due to high water from spring snowmelt or fishing streams dominated by other trout. This weekend I went fishing and camping with my wife Lena & dog Taiga to check out a couple possible trout fishing spots.

Saturday, we dove into a labyrinth of forest roads, creeping along precipitous cliffs and changing one severely flat tire before arriving at a tiny stream in a high-altitude meadow. Having no previous information on this stream besides an old scientific report documenting the existence of the species, I was delighted to find one of the best small-stream fly fishing experiences I've had. There were fat, colorful Westslope Cutthroat in every likely-looking pool, and a few were pushing 10-11 inches, giants for the size of the water.

Photos by Troutnut from Mystery Creek #199 and the Yakima River in Washington

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My first westslope cuttthroat, up close

Jmd123	July 31st, 2017, 2:05 pm
Oscoda, MI Posts: 2611	It's definitely wet-wading time around here. I was out two weeks ago on the Rifle and I felt like I was on a spirit quest in a sweat lodge...wondered when I was gonna start hallucinating or something. The waders will be taking a rest for a couple of months, at least. Jonathon
	No matter how big the one you just caught is, there's always a bigger one out there somewhere...

Wbranch	July 29th, 2017, 12:16 pm
York & Starlight PA Posts: 2733	Okay, I have a pair of waist highs for streams I know are no deeper than 2' -4'. I too wear my chest waders most of the time but I fish big water 90% of the time. I wet wade the Missouri in the day time and don waders for the evening fishing. As soon as the sun goes down it gets darn chilly at 6000 feet above sea level.
	Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.

Troutnut	July 29th, 2017, 11:24 am
Administrator Bellevue, WA Posts: 2737	Just convenience. We don't really have good gear for wet wading, we don't have hip waders, and didn't really know what depths to expect when exploring new spots. I tend to just wear chest waders for almost everything, out of habit.
	Jason Neuswanger, Ph.D. Troutnut and salmonid ecologist

Wbranch	July 29th, 2017, 10:52 am
York & Starlight PA Posts: 2733	Jason, I just have to ask why do you and your wife wear chest waders when it is likely there is no water much deeper than your knees. To ward off mosquitoes perhaps? Protection from vipers?
	Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.

Troutnut	July 27th, 2017, 10:03 pm
Administrator Bellevue, WA Posts: 2737	If you get to southern OR be sure to check in. Will do! Without traffic, I'm about half an hour from work, and half an hour from the nearest trout steams wild enough to have cougar tracks on the sandbars. I've been doing a lot of evening after-work fishing at places up to an hour and a half away, though it's maddening if I don't leave at the right time and that drive stretches to three hours of crawling along in traffic. I'm slowly learning to be more strategic about my travel.
	Jason Neuswanger, Ph.D. Troutnut and salmonid ecologist

In search of Westslope Cutthroat Trout

Photos by Troutnut from Mystery Creek #199 and the Yakima River in Washington

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