Cutthroat Trout

British Columbia has two distinct cutthroat pictures. Along the coast, sea-run cutthroat move back into estuaries and tidal river mouths from late summer through fall, with early August into September and October usually the best stretch, then fishing holds up through winter into spring before fish push upstream to spawn (mostly February through May). In the BC Interior, many westslope cutthroat rivers are closed in spring to protect spawning fish, with reopening dates (often around mid-June) varying by water, and July through September typically the prime window, with decent fishing continuing into October. Resident, non-migratory cutthroat in lakes on both sides of the province fish well spring through fall whenever water temperatures are cool. Always confirm the current season dates and any closures for the specific water before heading out.

Early morning and evening are consistently the best windows, especially on bright days, and overcast, low-light conditions can produce good fishing all day. On tidal coastal water, fishing the last two hours of an incoming tide through the top of high tide near stream mouths is often more important than the time of day.

On lakes, slow trolling a small spoon or fly behind a dodger, or still-fishing bait under a slip bobber near drop-offs and weed edges, both work well. In interior rivers, drift a nymph through pools and riffles during the day and switch to a dry fly in the evening when fish start rising. For sea-run coastal cutthroat, cast and strip small spoons or streamers along shoreline structure, eelgrass beds and current seams near stream mouths, timing it to the tide. Cutthroat tend to hit aggressively once they commit, so a moderate, steady retrieve usually outperforms an erratic one.

In lakes, look for cutthroat cruising weed lines, drop-offs and creek mouths rather than open water. In rivers, they hold in pools, along undercut banks, behind boulders and in back eddies close to cover. Coastal sea-run fish concentrate near stream mouths, estuaries and tidal shoreline with eelgrass or rocky bottom, while interior westslope cutthroat favor cold, clear headwater streams and their tributaries.