Rio Grande Cutthroat

An amazing trout to find in the bottom of your landing net, whether it comes from a New Mexico or Colorado stream, is the Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout (RGC). It is one of nine species of cutthroat trout in the Rocky Mountain drainage. The RGC trout are striking in their rich colors of green, orange, red, gold, and pink...with most of the larger black spots toward the tail end of the trout's body, along with its most distinct feature of the red slash at the jaw. Just a beautiful trout to have some tight line moments on a small stream, alpine lake, or large river. The habitat affects the strength of the colors and the spots, so it's always a surprise and fun to see the trout after bringing it to the net.

Francisco de Coronado, the Spanish explorer, was the first european to identify and document the Rio Grande Cutthroat trout as he tramped through New Mexico (around 1591) looking for gold. I'm thinking he actually did find gold...with the Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout. Archeologists' research suggests puebloans would catch these trout using a net made from fibers of the yucca plant. I can just imagine how large and healthy the trout were back in those days...oh yes, indeed. If only, to be there...back then...with a graphite fly rod:)

Prior to the years of COVED restrictions, I would find RGC trout in most of my home waters. However, it has been rare lately to catch any RGC trout from those same streams. It's a shame, because it was always a thrill to net one of those beautiful trout close to home. Oh, there are plenty of RGC in that mountain range, but it mostly requires a good long hike into the wild to access one of those little Rios holding these native trout.

I'm now traveling further north in New Mexico and on into Colorado to have good opportunities of landing RGC trout. As much as I hate to admit it, because this is our state fish, Colorado has the best opportunities for fishing these beautiful native trout.

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