The Cutthroat Family | Get to Know the 9 Subspecies of Cutthroat Trout

When it comes to genetic diversity, the cutthroat blows all other trout out of the water. You’ll find them scattered across western North America, in isolated pockets – the trout in each of these pockets have evolved over time to survive in their respective environments, leaving anglers with nine different subspecies to chase. Here’s where you’ll find each one:

Colorado River Cutthroat

As the name suggests, these fish are native to the Colorado River drainage. They’re now found in a small fraction of their historical range, but you’ll still find them in isolated rivers and streams in Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico.

Greenback Cutthroat

The Greenback cutthroat is the state fish of Colorado, and it’s the only place you’ll find them. Historically, these fish were found in both Wyoming and Colorado, in the South Platte and Arkansas rivers – today, only one population remains, near Colorado Springs.

Rio Grande Cutthroat

The state fish of New Mexico, Rio Grande cutts can be found in headwater streams in the northern part of the state, as well as southern Colorado. They’re the southernmost subspecies of cutthroat trout, having evolved to survive in the desert Southwest.

Yellowstone Cutthroat

Yellowstone cutthroats are native to the Yellowstone and Snake River drainages – meaning that they occupy waters on both sides of the Continental Divide. They can be found in Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, and Nevada.

Lahontan Cutthroat

Native to California, Oregon, and Nevada, the Lahontan cutthroat is the largest species of cutthroat trout. They’ve been listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act since 1975, but conservation efforts are ongoing, and they remain a popular sport fish.

Bonneville Cutthroat

Bonneville cutthroats are native to the Bonneville Basin in Nevada, Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming. Utah’s state fish, pure Bonneville cutts, were believed to be extinct in the early 1970s. In 1978, 6 populations were known to exist, and now, thanks to intense conservation efforts, there are 202 distinct populations today.

Coastal Cutthroat

Coastal cutthroats are the only anadromous cutthroat species that spawn in rivers on the Pacific coast and migrate to the ocean to feed and grow. They’re found in coastal streams and rivers in California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, and Alaska, rarely more than 60 miles inland from the Pacific Ocean.

Paiute Cutthroat

Paiute cutthroats are native to only one stream, less than 15 miles long. Silver King Creek is a tributary of the Carson River in California, and it’s the only body of water that Paiute cutts have ever occupied. They’ve been listed as threatened since 1975, but a population has held on in the headwaters of Silver King Creek.

Westslope Cutthroat

The Westslope cutthroat is the state fish of Montana and can also be found in Wyoming, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia. Their historical range is the largest of any cutthroat species, and they can still be found in almost 60% of their native habitat.

And More

A few of these cutthroat species have individual populations that some biologists view as distinct, like the Snake River cutthroat, a variant of the Yellowstone cutthroat. You’ll find competing arguments online, but no matter how you classify them, there's no debating the remarkable diversity of the cutthroat family.