Cutthroat Trout Identification Guide

Key identification features

• Distinctive red-orange to yellow-red slash marks along the underside of the lower jaw, the feature that gives the species its name
• Body coloration varies widely by subspecies, ranging from olive-green to yellowish-gold or coppery
• Small to medium irregular black spots, generally denser toward the tail and caudal peduncle than near the head
• Square-cut tail with light, evenly distributed spotting
• Slender, streamlined body typical of stream-dwelling trout

Common look-alikes

• Rainbow trout: shows a broad pink lateral stripe and lacks any throat slash, with spots distributed evenly over the whole body rather than concentrated near the tail
• Cutbow hybrids (cutthroat x rainbow): show a faint, partial, or discolored throat slash and an intergrade spotting pattern that blends both parent species

Where you'll see one

Cutthroat trout inhabit cold, clear streams, rivers, and high-elevation lakes throughout the western United States and western Canada. Different subspecies occupy distinct native ranges from the Rocky Mountains to coastal drainages of the Pacific Northwest, and many populations have been further isolated in headwater streams, making subspecies identification often tied closely to specific watersheds.