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How big is Rio Grande cutthroat trout?
12-13 inches long
Currently living in only about 100 headwater streams, Rio Grande cutthroats have a yellowish green-gray to gray body with scattered black spots, and a densely spotted tail. Adults grow up to 12-13 inches long. The Rio Grande Cutthroat has officially been designated as the New Mexico State Fish.
Is the Rio Grande cutthroat trout endangered?
“The Rio Grande cutthroat trout was endangered in 2008 and in 2014 and remains endangered to this day,” said Robinson. “The Fish and Wildlife Service moved the goal posts in order to get to a politically driven decision that the trout doesn’t warrant protection.
What is the cutthroat trout known for?
If variety is truly the spice of life, then cutthroat trout — known best for a splash of red on their lower jaw — are pretty spicy (so are rainbow trout). With over a dozen recognized subspecies representing four major evolutionary/geographical groups, these trout vary wildly in size and looks.
What do Rio Grande cutthroat trout eat?
LIFE CYCLE: Rio Grande cutthroat trout generally live five to eight years. FEEDING: Cutthroat trout feed on midge larvae, mayflies, and other aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates. Smaller fish will sometimes eat zooplankton, and larger fish will sometimes feed on smaller fish.
Where is Rio Grande cutthroat trout?
Rio Grande cutthroat trout are a strand representing the southern end of the cutthroat species. This species is located in mountainous headwaters and small streams. They are pursued in New Mexico and Colorado on the Rio Grande, Pecos, and Canadian Rivers, as well as in the Guadalupe and Davis Mountains of Texas.
Are there trout in the Rio Grande River?
Stream & Creek Fishing The Rio Grande and its tributaries offer slow running waters, excellent for fly fishing as well as with lures. Many of the river’s smaller tributaries offer stream sized fish, and are abundant with aquatic life like cutthroat and rainbow trout.
Is Cutthroat Trout good to eat?
For people that enjoy eating trout, cutthroat trout are usually one of their favorites. Many people do eat them. You can fillet them up and fry them. Some people remove most of the bones and cook the entire fish whole.
Where is Rio Grande cutthroat?
- The Rio Grande cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki virginalis), a member of the family Salmonidae, is found in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado in tributaries of the Rio Grande.,
- It is one of 14 subspecies of cutthroat trout native to the western United States, and is the state fish of New Mexico.
Do cutthroat trout eat other fish?
And that’s a mistake. Native cutthroats from the Rio Grande north to the Elk River do, indeed, munch on big bites of fishy protein, and they are, in my experience, more tuned in to chasing other fish when water is high and a little murky, particularly in the spring and early summer as runoff begins to wane.
What is considered a big cutthroat trout?
The biggest, the Lahontan cutthroat trout, lives in Nevada. The largest Lahontan cutthroat ever weighed tipped the scales at 41 pounds, although there are reports of fish reaching 60 pounds. They grow that big in places like Summit Lake, where the trout eat other fish.
Do people fish in the Rio Grande?
Is there any fish in the Rio Grande River?
At least 166 species of fishes have been found in the Rio Grande, of which 86 are freshwater species (Dahm et al., 2005). However, many of the fishes in the Rio Grande today are not native to the river. But most of these unique species, along with most of the large-bodied native fishes, have been eliminated.