Trying to find sea run cutthroat trout in January

[Brandon556]

How’s it going everyone. I’ve been fishing, ocean shore, and the rivers and coming up short in January for any sea run cutthroat trout. The area that I’m fishing I know there is abundance of Cutthroat Trout. I live on Vancouver Island, and there is very good fishing early spring and late fall but I enjoy eating sea run cutthroat and would love to be able to find where they’re hiding, but I never fish this time of year. Any tips on where I could find these fish with a river by and Ocean front Close by?

 

[Deepaaaar]

How’s it going everyone. I’ve been fishing, ocean shore, and the rivers and coming up short in January for any sea run cutthroat trout. The area that I’m fishing I know there is abundance of Cutthroat Trout. I live on Vancouver Island, and there is very good fishing early spring and late fall but I enjoy eating sea run cutthroat and would love to be able to find where they’re hiding, but I never fish this time of year. Any tips on where I could find these fish with a river by and Ocean front Close by?

Lol I feel like "Brandon" just put some popcorn on...

If this is legit, apologies, but it feels like a lobbed troll softball. If you are real, Brandon556, then you must normally get into some hatchery searuns, hey?

 

[Brandon556]

Lol I feel like "Brandon" just put some popcorn on...

If this is legit, apologies, but it feels like a lobbed troll softball. If you are real, Brandon556, then you must normally get into some hatchery searuns, hey?

What do you mean please explain as I’ve fished the area for years never tried this time of year. I’ve been coming up short for the last week and was looking for tips to where they might be. I’ve done some reading and I’ve read they stay up river till the salmon eggs hatch. I usually get the sea runs on the beach down from the moth of the river.

 

[Brandon556]

Lol I feel like "Brandon" just put some popcorn on...

If this is legit, apologies, but it feels like a lobbed troll softball. If you are real, Brandon556, then you must normally get into some hatchery searuns, hey?

Yes the river is stocked with a lot of hatcheries for sure. I’m going to try in the river again on a flie or maybe very small spoon.

 

[bryce]

Are you allowed to keep sea run cutthroat?

 

[Brandon556]

Are you allowed to keep sea run cutthroat?

Yes you are if they are from the hatchery I only keep them if they are okay size other than that they are a fun fish to catch. Only if you can find them though. It’s been very tough this time of year that’s why I made the post to see if there is anyone who has good luck.

 

[Deepaaaar]

Sorry for being snarky, it just seemed too perfect, ha. I've never fished for 'em this time of year, either, so I can't help you with that. I would bet that the rivers would still have some.

I've never seen a clipped one, so I figured you were just joking about eating them, but I suppose they exist.

Good luck out there

 

[eroyd]

I have only caught them incidentally while targeting other species in rivers this time of year. Easy fish to catch Spring to Fall IF you know where and when, and that's the part you are not going to find a lot of sharing.
30'ish years ago when you could keep wild fish I understand they are excellent eating, as were invasive Brown trout.

 

[Birdbrain]

I wonder how their population is doing in your area, Brandon? Even hatchery stocks can be negatively affected by various issues, like with our salmon. Maybe there's an environmental reason why you are not finding them these days.
Have you seen the provincial government "Fish Facts" article on coastal cutthroat? It's here:
https://a100.gov.bc.ca/pub/eirs/viewDocumentDetail.do?fromStatic=true&repository=BDP&documentId=3048
Here's part of what it says regarding populations:

"How are they doing?
The coastal cutthroat is a blue-listed
species, which means the species is
considered vulnerable in British
Columbia. Several populations,
particularly those on the East coast
of Vancouver Island and the Lower
Mainland, near Vancouver, are in
serious decline. Many runs are
already extinct. Their dependence
on small streams for spawning and
rearing makes them especially
vulnerable, as small streams are
easily altered or destroyed and their
protection is often overlooked in
planning residential, agricultural,
and industrial developments or
during forest harvesting"

 

[Kildonan]

These fish are followed by people who value them highly. I doubt anyone will tell you where to catch some this time of year, to eat. ;-)

I caught hordes of searuns in the 1970’s. They were plentiful in those days and I ate a lot of them. I agree that they are very delicious, but I couldn’t bring myself to kill one now.

My suggestion would be to find a lake with cutthroat’s in it and eat those instead, they are very similar in taste.

 

[RalphH]

Yes you are if they are from the hatchery I only keep them if they are okay size other than that they are a fun fish to catch. Only if you can find them though. It’s been very tough this time of year that’s why I made the post to see if there is anyone who has good luck.

sea runs are only stocked in two rivers on the Island. The Province terminated all the other stocking programs both on the Island and the mainland in 2018 so there are basically no hatchery clipped fish left. I have no idea why one hatchery still operates the program.

Cutties from lakes are also delicious.

 

[RalphH]

sea runs are only stocked in two rivers on the Island. The Province terminated all the other stocking programs both on the Island and the mainland in 2018 so there are basically no hatchery clipped fish left. I have no idea why the program still runs on the Island

Cutties from lakes are also delicious.