Oncorhynchus virginalis bouvieri

One of the Slam’s most iconic subspecies, the Yellowstone cutthroat trout, has a limited native range within Utah’s northwest corner. Outside of that native range however, some Utah anglers have caught Yellowstone cutthroat in other parts of the state. Records show cutthroat from Yellowstone were first stocked in Utah in 1903 and were planted by DWR fisheries officials in a variety of lakes and streams across the state. In fact, the state record cutthroat trout caught in 1930 at Strawberry Reservoir – all 26 pounds 12 ounces of it – was either a Yellowstone cutthroat or a mix between a Yellowstone and a Colorado River cutthroat. Strawberry Reservoir, of course, is still known for its large cutthroat trout, but the fish there today are still not native to that watershed.

All that being said, the Yellowstone cutthroat may be the most challenging of the four Utah subspecies to land simply because of the remote nature of its native range and the small, shrubby nature of the creeks in which they dwell. Remember, for a cutthroat to count towards the slam, it must be caught in its historic native range. 

Yellowstone cutthroat once occurred in the Goose Creek and Raft River drainages in northwestern Utah near the Idaho and Nevada borders. But now the native fish are confined to the Raft River drainage alone. Check the Slam’s map and the recommended angling locations below for help in planning your trip!

To zoom in, open dialogue and click on “Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout”

Yellowstone cutthroat trout (YCT) are native to the Snake River Drainage and in Utah their distribution is limited to the northwest corner of the state. Historically, YCT occurred in Goose Creek and the Raft River drainages in Utah, but presently populations only occur in the Raft River drainage. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) monitors the populations of this region, and is working on making more populations of YCT accessible to anglers. Any pure cutthroat trout caught in the Utah portion of the Raft River Drainage will be accepted for the Utah Cutthroat Slam.

Runoff in the Raft River Mountains typically gets started in April, ramps up in May, and concludes by mid-June. Although there may be limited opportunities for success during the runoff period, the best angling is available during the summer months after spring flows have subsided. The following streams/tributaries should provide the greatest chances of success in the summer and early fall:

Johnson Creek, upstream of the USFS boundary:

On the road heading west, then south from Yost, turn left at the ‘Y’ (41.950259, -113.550196), you’ll be on Forest Road (FR) 002 (rough and rocky in places, high clearance vehicle, 4wd recommended). The USFS boundary is at (41.927359, -113.560495); fish upstream from here. Brook trout were chemically removed from the lower stretches of this stream in 2013-2014. The genetically pure population of YCT located in the headwaters (Left Hand Fork Johnson Creek and Browns Canyon) have dispersed downstream and are now readily catchable along the length of the creek starting at the Sawtooth National Forest sign. Conditions may be brushy, but to the dedicated angler, plenty of fish are to be found. Johnson Creek currently holds the densest population of YCT in the Raft River Mtns.

Onemile Creek/Sawmill Canyon:

From Onemile Road (FR 005) (41.971440, -113.427820), hike and fish the stream up from here; or from FR 005 turn onto FR 005A, travel half a mile (41.961575, -113.438163), then hike a short distance down the hill east into Sawmill Canyon. Yellowstone cutthroat trout are the only species of trout in Onemile Creek and its tributary stream found in Sawmill Canyon, but angling conditions can be tough as these are small, brushy streams. The best angling opportunities in the Onemile Creek drainage is up Sawmill Canyon, so be careful of which creek you fish past the confluence of Onemile Creek and the Sawmill Canyon tributary. If you stay on Onemile Creek past the confluence, you might not see any fish!

George Creek, headwaters below Cabin Spring:

Take FR 005 to the top of the divide between George Creek and Onemile Creek, turn south on FR 011 (41.935677, -113.477707) (rough and rocky, high clearance vehicle, 4wd recommended). From here you can either wind your way up and across the top of the mountain for 5 miles, park at the split in the road (there might be a Forest Service “Authorized Use Only” sign, 41.917554, -113.416277), hike 1 mile downstream (west), and fish below Cabin Spring (41.912887, -113.430001); the main tributary entering from the north/northwest. Or if you have a vehicle capable of handling it, you can turn off FR 011, travel down an old ATV trail till you reach a fence (41.926620, -113.479719), and then hike south along the fence line until you reach the lower USFS boundary of George Creek (41.920951, -113.484589).

If you fish the upper headwater section, note that there is a piece of private land a short distance downstream of Cabin Spring that may be posted with “No Trespassing” signs — If so, you may have to hike to the west and north of the creek, around the private property, to get back to USFS property downstream. If you fish the lower section of George Creek, note that there are lots of rainbow trout and cutbow hybrids present. It is recommended to hike a further 1.5 miles southeast to where the canyon and creek turn east (41.907218, -113.461960). From here upstream to Cabin Spring you should only find pure YCT, but look out for key indicators of hybridization (white tipped fins, large pink lateral lines, small/even spotting across the body, etc.)

These are small streams with small populations of cutthroat trout. Casting will be difficult or impossible in many places, and you may have to cover a lot of stream in order to find success. However, it is possible to catch fish in all of these drainages. For more information, please call the Northern Region Office at 801-476-2740.