Cutties from Sunday

[Sedativ3]

Took the chance and headed out in the rain. Rain the whole way there and back, but not at the lake. Action was steady until the wind calmed down, had a blast! Wonder if we caught any of the same fish dace?

[Alberta Bigbore]

Nice fish!!!!

[Pikebreath]

Nice fish , but herein lies the problems with differentiating cutts, cuttbows and rainbows,. Your fish exhibit faint slashes and primarily rear spotting only but their coloration is certainly very rainbow like. Do you know if these fish would be stocked pure strain cutts or not? Or are these wild fish with unsure genetics?

[Calgaryguy1977]

I say its clearly a cut.....some may try to argue cutbow or something but I think the red jaw slashes automatically defines it as a cutthroat.....at least in my books. They also look like almost every cutty ive ever caught in the mountains.

[Sedativ3]

Im sure if you were to get the genetics checked out they would be mixed somewhat with rainbows. The lake was stocked with rainbows, apparently a few still remain. But I can almost guarantee they are not a pure cutt strain. Still, the pictures dont exactly do all of them justice. Much nicer coloring in person!

[north american hunter]

Great lookin fish

[Pikebreath]

Originally Posted by Calgaryguy1977

I think the red jaw slashes automatically defines it as a cutthroat.....at least in my books. They also look like almost every cutty ive ever caught in the mountains.

Like you, I would want to call it a cutt if it exhibits any kind of slash, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have rainbow genetics in it's background. The reason westlope cutts are considered threatened is becuz throughout most of their range, rainbows have been introduced. There are only a few remnant headwater populations of pure cutts left plus some introduced populations into previously trout barren systems (ie. select alpine lakes and the Ram).

If you look at Elk river cutts, they have a definate differance in coloration compared to most of our cutts in Alberta. It is likely, though, that our native cutts are of same stock as the the Elk river cutts originating back to the last ice age melt.

Truth is we are two - three generations of angler away from knowing what our true native cutt fishery was really like. I do know I like our current stock of whatever mix of cuttbow we have and fear that we could really hammer our current fish stocks if we do an all out war on rainbow genetics within cuttthroat waters. I am old enough now that I do not have left in me the 20 - 40 years needed to see the results of a bring back the natives campaign and then assess from there whether the pain was worth the gain!

[Daceminnow]

Originally Posted by Sedativ3

Wonder if we caught any of the same fish dace?

good day, right on. looking at your pictures though, pretty certain none of these fish were caught by us this past week. not the same body of water. maybe earlier in the year though.


Dace

[goldscud]

There really isn't any significant (if any) spawning going on in the Upper lake. Therefore the Cutts there are from stocking. The stocked fish come from Job lake genetics which are pure.
Coloration can be very mis-leading. Fish will tend to take on colors to match their environment.

[Calgaryguy1977]

Originally Posted by goldscud

There really isn't any significant (if any) spawning going on in the Upper lake. Therefore the Cutts there are from stocking. The stocked fish come from Job lake genetics which are pure.

Actually, I mean I could be wrong on this, I believe they spawn in Rawson and come down dont they?

[goldscud]

Spawning gravel was carried up to the outlet of Rawson to facilitate spawning. However, the fish there are also stocked fish with Job lake genetics. Therefore they all have the same genetics.
There is/was Cutts in Aster lake way up to the west of Upper Kan. The fish live in muddy, glacial silt. The backs of the fish are brown and their colors are all washed out. They look very unique due to their environment.

[Sedativ3]

I guess I should do my research! Haha, just read about the stocking they did there, didnt realize they had stocked them so big! I figured they had been spawning in there for awhile.

[BeeGuy]

Those are beauties and about as pure as we will get I think.
Well done.

[Daceminnow]

Originally Posted by goldscud

There really isn't any significant (if any) spawning going on in the Upper lake. Therefore the Cutts there are from stocking.

correct. but there's real hope this may change.

Originally Posted by goldscud

Spawning gravel was carried up to the outlet of Rawson to facilitate spawning.

currently there is men and equipment from transalta working in the mouth of rawson creek at upper kananaskis lake constructing ladders and pools to create a spawning channel for the cutthroat trout. it is unknown whether after this spawning channel project has been completed the cutthroats will indeed successfully be able to naturally reproduce. it has been determined the water temperature is right in this area and at worst this channel will give somewhere for the females to release their eggs which does cause mortality in these fish if this process does not occur.


on another note from the lower kananaskis lake. many big mature cutthroat trout were observed this past week trying to spawn up the outflow water coming out of the dam at interlakes. unfortunately many of these fish were knocking themselves out on the rocks in their migration attempts and were consequently floating belly up out into the lake. there currently is no suitable areas in this lake for these fish to spawn, nor any plans in the works. proposals have been made in the past (90's) to build a spawning channel on the old kananaskis river channel which was the most important area for the cutthroats to spawn prior to the upper lake being dammed. again water temperature is right in this area (although the old channel is now for the most part completely dried up). a critical factor to this even if the river channel was restored and allowed to flow like it once did is the water stabilization of the lower lake. trout unlimited has been involved in working towards a resolution to these issues for some 20 years. water generated power does generate power and is held in high regard. this in turn also continues to put money into pockets. the regard for our once naturally reproducing resource we are all entitled to enjoy, maybe not so much. if anyone would like any further information as to who you might want to send an email to, feel free to send me a message. it seems that this squeaky wheel that has been wobbling for a long time now, may need a whole lot more grease. and guess what, as mention transalta is currently working to improve the cutthroat spawning area on the upper kananaskis lake right now. seems timely.

not meant to hijack here Sed. maybe this would be a good start to your research.


Dace

[Sedativ3]

Hey no worries, I wondered what the construction crew was doing. Just moved out to the area and was reading a bunch of government PDF files and stuff online about the cutthroat in the area, and where the pure strains were. It didnt mention upper k but I realize now the paper I was reading was only talking about the actual few native trout that are left. Did find out about the spray river blow out and that loss of habitat/fish, as well as healy creek more recently. Not the greatest management it seems, especially in a national park!