Last Sunday I got this cut (about 26 river miles) while searching for steelhead.I've never gotten one this far up river before and was wondering how far others have found them up river before. Notice its injury behind its left cheek. It definetely had a narrow escape from some predator.
Oh yeah I have gotten one on the NU I forgot about. It was close to dark and came off at my feet and shook free but I think it was a cut and not a small steelhead. So I guess they will go up as far as other fish do.
maybe someone who knows more will chime in but, many non hybrid rainbows can have faint to pretty pronounced orange slashes as well. IMO that's a 110% rainbow.
maybe someone who knows more will chime in but, many non hybrid rainbows can have faint to pretty pronounced orange slashes as well. IMO that's a 110% rainbow.
i might add ive never caught or personally seen an SRC or coastal cutty before. so perhaps, but ive seen more than enough pictures etc. to be learning towards rainbow.
One thing you can look for when the fish is in hand is basibranchial teeth. Cutts got 'em; Bows don't.
"The cutthroat is distinguished from other trouts by a variety of characteristics. The maxillary of the cutthroat usually extends beyond the posterior margin of the eye in fish longer than 4 inches. In addition, this species has basibranchial or hyoid teeth behind the tongue between the second gill clefts."
Looks like a coastal cutt to me... the injuries, with the marks on top of it's head look like a commercial fishing net injury. Either way, tough and good looking fish.
I'd call that a coastal cutt as well. One way I've used to tell them apart is that cutthroat tend to have a jaw(mandible) that extends behind their eye, while on a rainbow the jaw will not extend beyond the eye.
Very interesting points many of you made to tell them apart! Thanks for sharing guys.
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