Cut-bow Trout

The Cut-Bow makes the list as a species mostly because of the regulations that cover the harvesting of fish in Montana. Because the Rainbow Trout and Cutthroat Trout spawn at the same time and often in similar areas, the milt from one species may fertilize the eggs of the other. If you are fishing for the pan, and you take a fish that has any slash under its gills, it is considered a Cutthroat. It may have a bright pink stripe down its side, but any slash means it’s a Cutthroat, and the harvesting laws that apply to the Cutthroat are in effect for Cut-Bows as well. If you’re out to take a few fish home, make sure you check the regulations for the body of water you’re fishing, and know what the regulations pertaining to the harvesting of the Cutthroat Trout.