The coastal cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii clarkii), also known as the sea-run cutthroat trout, blue-back trout or harvest trout, is one of the several subspecies of cutthroat trout found in Western North America. The coastal cutthroat trout occurs in four distinct forms. A semi-anadromous or sea-run form is the most well known. Freshwater forms occur in both large and small rivers and streams and lake environments. The native range of the coastal cutthroat trout extends south from the southern coastline of the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska to the Eel River in Northern California. Coastal cutthroat trout are resident in tributary streams and rivers of the Pacific basin and are rarely found more than 100 miles (160 km) from the ocean.
Adults migrate from the ocean to spawn in fresh water. Juveniles migrate to the sea where they feed and become sexually mature before returning to fresh water to overwinter and spawn. Unlike steelhead and Pacific salmon, coastal cutthroat do not make lengthy migrations out to sea. Generally speaking, coastal cutthroat will remain in or near estuarine waters, usually within 5–10 miles (8.0–16.1 km) of their natal stream. Some cutthroat, however, have been shown to move as far as 70 miles (110 km) into the open ocean. There are also lacustrine and riverine populations that spend their entire lives in freshwater. One such population is the trout of Lake Crescent in Washington state that was formerly considered to be a separate subspecies called the Lake Crescent cutthroat trout, Oncorhynchus clarkii crescenti.
^NatureServe (4 August 2023). "Oncorhynchus clarkii clarkii". NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data accessed through NatureServe Explorer. Arlington, Virginia: NatureServe. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
^Richardson, John; Swainson, William; Kirby, William (1836), Fauna boreali-americana, or, The zoology of the northern parts of British America: containing descriptions of the objects of natural history collected on the late northern land expedition, under command of Captain Sir John Franklin, R.N., London: J. Murray, pp. 225–226
and 26 Related for: Coastal cutthroat trout information
Some populations of the coastalcutthroattrout (O. c. clarkii) are semi-anadromous. Several subspecies of cutthroattrout are currently listed as threatened...
between coastal rainbow trout (O. mykiss irideus) and coastalcutthroattrout (O. clarkii clarkii) and between Columbia River redband trout (O. mykiss...
westslope cutthroattrout (Oncorhynchus clarkii lewisi), also known as the black-spotted trout, common cutthroattrout and red-throated trout is a subspecies...
Crescenti cutthroattrout or the Lake Crescent cutthroattrout is a North American freshwater fish, a local form (f. loc.) of the coastalcutthroattrout (Oncorhynchus...
of Oncorhynchus mykiss known as steelhead are iteroparous. The coastalcutthroattrout (Oncorhynchus clarkii clarkii) is considered semi-anadromous, as...
called steelhead trout) is an anadromous (sea-run) form of the coastal rainbow trout (O. m. irideus) or Columbia River redband trout (O. m. gairdneri)...
and then into Elwha River. Anadromous fish such as steelhead and coastalcutthroattrout migrated into the valley from lower waters. Approximately 8,000...
two sea-run forms of Pacific trout, the coastal rainbow trout (O. mykiss irideus) or steelhead and coastalcutthroattrout (O. clarki clarki). Populations...
Pacific lamprey, western brook lamprey, shad, steelhead, and coastalcutthroattrout. Since public river-bank access is limited, fishing is often done...
supports runs of chinook and coho salmon, as well as steelhead and coastalcutthroattrout. The Alsea River Fish Hatchery is along one of its tributaries...
(Pacific salmon), Lingcod, Rock cod and coastalcutthroattrout. Inland lakes also are home to several species of trout, including a unique variant of stickleback...
sockeye, and pink salmon), plus four anadromous trout species (steelhead, coastalcutthroattrout, bull trout, and Dolly Varden char). From 1911 to 2014,...
brook trout populations may provoke territorial competition with the native cutthroattrout that can impede the recovery efforts of cutthroattrout by environmental...
in this lake include rainbow trout, bull trout, redside shiners, northern pikeminnows, suckers and coastalcutthroattrout. List of lakes of British Columbia...
state by Minnie Nolte in the early 1970s. There are rainbow trout, coastalcutthroattrout, kokanee, crappie, and brown bullhead in the lake. The lake...
Lake was a cold-water fishery that supported large populations of coastalcutthroattrout, salmon, and steelhead. However, the watershed was gradually altered...
Global Information
