Species profile
Rocky Mountain Cutthroat Trout
Oncorhynchus virginalis
Identify Rocky Mountain Cutthroat Trout (Oncorhynchus virginalis) from a photo: try it free in your browser, or get unlimited IDs, no sign-up, with the CatchRules app.
At a glance
Rocky Mountain Cutthroat Trout (Oncorhynchus virginalis) is a bony-fish species present across the CatchRules coverage area but without species-specific bag, size, or season rules tracked in our regulatory dataset.
Confirmed by 2,153 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming the top jurisdictions by observation count.
Notable details
- Native to the upper Colorado River basin in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming.
- The red slash marks beneath the jaw give all cutthroat trout their name.
- Hybridization with introduced rainbow trout has eliminated pure populations from most of their historic range.
- Typically found in cold, isolated headwater streams at high elevation.
- Adults in wild populations generally measure 10–16 inches long.
Where Rocky Mountain Cutthroat Trout are seen
Background
The cutthroat trout is a clade of four fish species of the family Salmonidae native to cold-water tributaries of the Pacific Ocean, Rocky Mountains, and Great Basin in North America. These four species are the Coastal, Westslope, Lahontan, and the Rocky Mountain. As a member of the genus Oncorhynchus, it is in the Pacific trout group, which includes the widely distributed rainbow trout. Cutthroat…
Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Rocky Mountain Cutthroat Trout article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.
Other bony fish on CatchRules
Frequently asked questions
What is Rocky Mountain Cutthroat Trout?
Rocky Mountain Cutthroat Trout (Oncorhynchus virginalis) is a bony-fish species present across the CatchRules coverage area but without species-specific bag, size, or season rules tracked in our regulatory dataset.
What is the scientific name for Rocky Mountain Cutthroat Trout?
Rocky Mountain Cutthroat Trout is Oncorhynchus virginalis.
Are there fishing rules for Rocky Mountain Cutthroat Trout?
Rocky Mountain Cutthroat Trout does not currently have published fishing rules in CatchRules' curated jurisdictions. Identification, range, and habitat are still tracked above.
How can I identify Rocky Mountain Cutthroat Trout?
Take a photo with the free CatchRules app for iPhone or Android — on-device identification recognizes Rocky Mountain Cutthroat Trout along with ~1,500 other species. No sign-up, unlimited use.
Photo credit: iNaturalist / Wikipedia. Identification reference only — verify regulations with the issuing wildlife agency before retaining a catch.