Wilderness Fish Information
 Rainbow Trout – oncorhynchus mykiss - The range of the rainbow trout was once limited to watersheds, which drained west, into the Pacific. This range started in the Kuskokwim river in Alaska, ran down through Canada and the Northwestern United States, and ended in Mexico. Because rainbow trout can tolerate a wide spectrum of water types and temperatures, they have been transplanted extensively, and can be found across the United States. Rainbow trout were first introduced to this area in the 1880s and quickly became angler's favorite fish to catch, and the mainstay of Colorado's hatchery system. Millions of catchable and sub catchable sized fish are stocked in local waters annually. Rainbows can be found in most mountain lakes and streams, as well as many reservoirs, and can be caught with a variety of flies, baits and lures. Rainbow trout can be identified by having light to dark green backs, with continuous dark spots throughout the body, with a pronounced "rainbow" horizontal stripe, ranging in color from a subtle red to darker pink, which runs from gill to tail. Shades of coloration can differ greatly across the country, and can also be effected by the temperature of the water.
 Brown Trout – salmo trutta - The Brown Trout is a medium sized fish, with a mature weight of 2 pounds of less being the most common. Young brown trout feed on insects and other invertebrates such as shrimp, caddis, stonefly, and mayfly, and can live to be around 20 years old. In their original distribution, these trout could be found in Europe, Iceland and the British Isles, and in select locations in Northern Africa. People began transplanting brown trout in the mid 1800’s, and they are now found in almost every environment that is capable of supporting a population, worldwide. Brown trout are fairly easy to recognize, but coloration can differ greatly. Brown trout are usually a dark, brassy, brown or even dark green on top, with cream to yellowish sides and underbelly. They have numerous dark spots along their body. They also have red spots that are sometimes haloed by blue. The anal, pelvic, and dorsal fins usually have slender white stripes that run along the edges. Brown trout sometimes do not actively feed until the late afternoon or early evening but when the weather is cool they will feed during the day as well. The largest browns usually feed under the cover of darkness. Brown trout can be caught with artificial flies, jigs, plastic worm imitations, spinners and other lures.
 Brook Trout – salvelinus fontinalis - The Brook, or Brookie, is actually a char, but is commonly referred to as a trout. The brook trout is native to small streams, creeks, lakes, and spring ponds. Some brook trout are anadromous, which simply means that they are sometimes migratory. Many types of fish migrate on a regular basis, on time scales ranging from daily to annual, and over distances ranging from a few meters, to thousands of kilometers. Fish usually migrate because of diet or reproductive needs, although in some cases the reason for migration remains unknown. The Brook trout's natural range was confined to north eastern Canada, the United States, parts of the great lakes region, and in some headwaters of the Appalachians, heading southward, all the way to Georgia. Because of its popularity as a sport fish, the Brook trout has been transplanted across the United States. Brook trout were introduce to Colorado in the late 1800's. They feed on aquatic and terrestrial insects and will rise to a large range of small lures, baits and flies. Brook trout is relatively easy to identify. They usually have dark green backs, orange or reddish bellies, and red spots, sometimes encircled by light blue. The anal, pectoral, and ventral fins have slender white stripes on the outermost edges. The Brook trout is truly a beautiful specimen and is quite fun to catch. Although they are usually a smaller fish, they are mighty fighters. Brook trout require colder water temperatures and are abundant in Colorado's high mountain lakes, at higher elevations.
 Cutthroat (Native) Trout – oncorhynchus clarki - The cutthroat trout were originally found throughout the American west, western Canada, and parts of southern Alaska. Prior to the introduction of non-native trout species, this trout had the broadest range in north America, and is the only native trout to states such as Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, and Alberta in Canada. Unfortunately, the introduction of non-native species has greatly reduced the range of this trout, and led to many cases of hybridization. Several subspecies of the Cutthroat trout can be found in Colorado, of which only three are native; the Greenback Cutthroat, which is native to the Arkansas and South Platte Rivers in eastern Colorado, the Rio Grande Cutthroat, native to New Mexico and southern Colorado, and the Colorado River Cutthroat, which is native to tributaries of the Green and Colorado Rivers. Greenback Cutthroats are designated as a threatened species. The range of these fish has decreased due to a variety of habitat factors, and extensive recovery efforts are underway by the Colorado Division of Wildlife.
Cutthroat trout vary widely in size, coloration, and habitats. They can range from golden, to gray, to green on the back, depending on subspecies and habitat. All populations of cutthroat feature distinctive red, pink, or orange marks on the underside of the lower jaw, which is usually the easiest diagnostic of the species for the casual observer. Cutthroat coloration differs greatly among subspecies, and, at times, this fish can be difficult to distinguish from the rainbow trout, due to similarities in appearance. Cutthroat can usually be distinguished from Rainbows by the heavier spotting towards the tail and the red slash on the throat. Cutthroat will readily interbreed with the closely related rainbow trout, producing fertile hybrids commonly called "cutbow". Anglers can find Cutthroat trout in high lakes and streams.
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