Searun Cutthroat trout are a interesting fish.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Here is a response about Searun Cutts that I just received from veteran north coast fly fishing Bruce Slightom:

__________________________________

Bruce Slightom
8:06 AM (37 minutes ago)
to me

Bill southern range is the Eel, I have not heard or seen one in the Eel for a long time.

Stone Lagoon holds the state record for Cutts and has a good population.

The Smith has the most consistent fishery.

We are seeing more each year in the Klamath and I get excited when encountering one. I believe that people are hooking them and do not know what they are and just think that they are half pounders. I have talked to biologist regarding them in the Klamath and it is though that some use the big river like others use the ocean and migrate out of the feeder streams into the main river and then back into the feeders.

I have seen a few in the Trinity.

Almost all of the small streams on the coast north of the Eel have cutts. As well as the lagoons.

I was working with the Humboldt Fish Action Council on Freshwater Creek raising Chinook. The rearing ponds were on a feeder stream. I enjoyed feeding the cutts the fry that died. One day there were no morts so I pitched a banana slug into the pool to see what happened and it was devoured in seconds.

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Bill, at one time every spring I would pursue them on the Smith. Head waters and tribs. I am getting to old for the commando fishing now. I still fish Stone lagoon for them now. Bruce



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Thanks Bruce

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Bob Borden, founder of Hareline Products, was a serious Searun Cutthroat trout chaser.

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http://www.johnkreft.com/borden-special/

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Here is an email response from past employee, guide, fisheries biologist and hatchery manager Chris Pasley:

Hey Bill - it's been a while since I lived down there, but it seemed like the smaller coastal streams had them, north of the Eel River, such as Redwood Creek, Little River, and Smith River to name a few.

[avidangler]

I have caught many. You would be hard pressed to find a prettier fish.

[Bob Smith]

Small tributary restoration projects geared towards Coho salmon have also greatly benefited coastal Cutthroat trout along the North Coast. There are lots in the Klamath and Smith and they are fun to target, particularly in the estuaries.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

NFF - but a nice little video catching Cutts on a small CA coastal stream........Nov. 2017

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEwhZnmiNgk

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

This is a real educational video on fly fishing Searun Cutthroat trout on the Washington's Stillaguamish river.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNmIwCmX_vw




Some famous people are mentioned in this video.



Mike Kinney is a top fly fishing guide in Washington.

https://www.mikekinney.com/



Cam Sigler is a veteran in the salt water fly fishing world too.

https://www.camsigler.com/Default.aspx



Steve Raymond wrote the book......

https://www.amazon.com/Estuary-Flyfishers-Steve-Raymond/dp/1571880607

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Here is a rely from past emplyee and CA DF&G biologist Nick Buckmaster:

Bill,
There are coastal cutts throughout the NW part of the state (Mad River, Smith, Humboldt Lagoons).

I believe there are still anadromous runs on the Mad, Smith, and Lower Klamath Rivers, but one of the confounding issues is that you have resident, stream migratory, and anadromous populations in one river system.

The anadromous fish usually run in August-October.

[John H]

Here is one on the upper Rogue a few years ago. I could not say if it was anadromous or a resident. I get them in Washington sometimes and a Bull Trout every once in a while there also.

https://i.imgur.com/gEkOTVjh.jpg

[John Sv]

Perhaps my favorite fish! I mentioned in another thread that I saw some finning in the little creek that goes through fern canyon in Redwood NP- it just seemed perfect! I also had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go to SE AK a few years ago and had the experience where I was catching 'em and dollies on the beach with a big brown bear also on the beach. Same thing with catching them in Big Lagoon with the creepy big black birds hanging out in the spruces. I don't know if it is the fish or their environs but...two thumbs up!!!

[Bob Smith]

John, those fish in the upper Rogue are not anadromous - instead they utilize the "fluvial" life history meaning they spawn in the small tributaries, rear for a bit before dropping into the main river to mature and forage as adults. We fished the upper Rogue salmon fly hatch last June and primarily landed coastal cutthroat. They are becoming more and more common up that way and can get quite large - yours is a dandy! My understanding is that sea runs on the Rogue make it up about as far as the Applegate.

We have been fishing estuaries for SRC with decent success - primarily in Del Norte County but also Curry County OR. Timing and tides are everything - you can usually find them beginning in mid July through the end of October. Fish around structure and if you find one, there's usually more. Here's a couple from last October.

15415

15416

[hwchubb]

I remember catching several in the Applegate while chasing steelhead a few years back that I thought might have been sea run- leaner and more silver than the ones we catch above Touvelle.

I used to chase them for years in Puget Sound when I covered Seattle for work, and they are one of my favorites. I haven’t fished them in CA, but it’s great to hear that they are doing well here. I got a couple in the Mad a couple of years ago, again while shaving steel - don’t know if they were sea run or not, but now I’m wondering.

Thanks for all the info on the North Coast - Need to schedule a fall trip up there. They are a special fish.

[noyo55]

back in the 60s when attending Humboldt State we fished them in the Small Humboldt Streams. I also caught several, one year, in the Ten Mile River, outside Fort Bragg, they were about 2-3 pound fish. The Smith River has a stout run, hardly fished, when we had year around seasons I saw lots of them late April and May there.

[John H]

Ten Mile River sounds interesting. I like the beach there and have crossed the river at the beach. Next time I am there I will take a look and see if there is a chance for cutthroat.

[noyo55]

Unfortunately Ten Mile access has been blocked by the local timber company. Ditto Big River and Noyo. Access to most of the Mendocino rivers has been severly curtailed. To much vandalism and 4 wheelers teraing up the skid roads.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Can you hike, ride a horse or take an electric mountain bike on those logging roads or are they just closed period??

[noyo55]

Closed!!! I'm not even sure if you could walk in anymore.

[Larry S]

@noyo55,
So sad! I had the great experience to fish it several times in the '70's. Had to stop in town to
get a permit and then again at a farmhouse gate to display same. Never saw anyone there.
No fish caught; but, still a beautiful stream! I understand the estuary could be a "marine
life protection area" now. That might be no fishing. While out in that region, we would also
check out Alder Creek as well as the Garcia and Gualala.
I often wished I could have fished those streams in the 50-60's.
Thanks for the info.
Best to all,
Larry S
Sun Diego

[Bob Smith]

The SRC fishery in Northern California and Southern Oregon is lightly fished and those that have it dialed in tend to be pretty quiet about it. I think part of what keeps the crowds away is that tidal estuaries are dynamic systems and finding where and when to target SRC's takes time and effort. It's too bad the Eureka Fly Shop is closed - those guys where a good place to start.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Like us, Mike at the Eureka Fly Shop got old and decided to close the shop and go have fun.