High up Clear Creek in the Arapahoe National Forest, we found something unexpected – Colorado Cutthroats close to Denver. Cutthroat trout are the only species native to the Rocky Mountains and we wanted to see if we could find them within 60 miles of the mile high city.
Colorado's Native Trout
The Cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii) is named for a distinctive red-orange slash below the jaw and is the only species of trout native to the Rocky Mountains. Colorado is home to three subspecies of cutthroat trout. Sadly, they have all suffered from human activities and can only be found in a fraction of their former range. Colorado River Cutthroat (Oncorhynchus clarkii pleuriticus) are native to the Green River and Colorado River watersheds west of the continental divide. Rio Grande Cutthroat (Oncorhynchus clarkii virginalis) are native to southern Colorado and New Mexico. The Greenback Cutthroat (Oncorhynchus clarkii stomias) was native to the Arkansas and South Platte River watersheds on the eastern side of the continental divide. Thought to be extinct by the 1930’s, the Greenback cutthroat is now listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Greenbacks became the Colorado State Fish in 1996 and renewed efforts to restore this beautiful fish make for an amazing story that is best left for a future article.
Finding Cutthroat Trout in Clear Creek
The secret to finding cutthroat trout in Clear Creek is all about getting to the correct elevation. Due to its close proximity to the Denver metro area, Clear Creek is a popular fishing destination. I have fished the canyon section above Golden (5,784′) many times by following US Hwy 6. Between tunnel #1 and Idaho Springs there are numerous pullouts where anglers can access Clear Creek. This lower section contains lots of pocket water and a population of wild brown trout with some rainbows mixed in. Fish are mostly on the smaller side and are heavily pressured. Clear Creek Canyon has incredible scenery, but there always seems to be traffic racing by and dozens of other anglers already in your favorite pullout. Today we explored the upper Clear Creek watershed. Above Idaho Springs (7,526′) the number of competing anglers thinned out significantly. Once we drove past Georgetown (8,250′), we practically had the water all to ourselves.
We tried several pocket water sections above Silver Plume (9,200′) and caught lots of non-native brook trout. The brookies were aggressive and eager to attack a well-presented stimulator or chubby. This made for some fun fishing, but rumors of cutthroat trout high up the Clear Creek watershed forced us to move on. When we started fishing above above 9,800 feet, we found found a thriving population of cutthroat trout.
Catching Colorado Cutthroats in Clear Creek
