Most people are surprised to learn that there are six separate species of trout (also called Salmonids) that are native to Nevada. Many are familiar with the Lahontan Cutthroat Trout, a remnant of ancient Lake Lahontan, which still lives in lakes and streams throughout northern Nevada. However, the Bonneville Cutthroat Trout, Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout, Bull Trout, and Redband Trout are all native to the northern and eastern fringes of Nevada that border neighboring drainages and states. Moreover, the Mountain Whitefish can be found in a number of river drainages throughout the state. Read on for in-depth information on each of these fish and the management efforts associated with the six species.
Lahontan Cutthroat Trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii henshawi)
A native icon, the Lahontan Cutthroat Trout (LCT) is Nevada’s state fish. Ten thousand years ago, most of northern Nevada was covered by Lake Lahontan. As temperatures rose and the lake receded, LCT were relegated to headwater streams and remnant lakes. LCT in Nevada represent the largest inland Cutthroat Trout in the world. Anglers travel to Nevada from far and wide for a chance to catch these prehistoric fish. The LCT is a federally threatened species. Declines in LCT were caused by habitat fragmentation, habitat degradation, and competition and hybridization with non-native trout species. NDOW is an active partner in recovery actions to restore LCT to their native habitats throughout the state.
Commission Policy 31 – Lahontan Cutthroat Trout Management Guidelines
Description: All policies are currently under review in the Administrative Procedures, Regulations and Policy Committee, to see any potential edits please email Kailey Musso at knmusso@ndow.org.
Recovery Plan for the Lahontan Cutthroat Trout (January 1995)
Bonneville Cutthroat Trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii utah)
Like Nevada, much of the current state of Utah was covered in ancient times by Lake Bonneville. Similarly, the remnant fish of this pluvial lake is the Bonneville Cutthroat Trout (BCT) which is native to much of Utah. The extreme western shores of this lake extended into eastern Nevada in current-day Snake Valley along the Nevada / Utah border. BCT are native to the streams flowing from the eastern flank of the Snake Range in White Pine County. Along with federal, state, and private partners, NDOW has restored BCT to nearly all streams in Nevada where they once lived.
Commission Policy 33 – Fisheries Management Program
Description: All policies are currently under review in the Administrative Procedures, Regulations and Policy Committee, to see any potential edits please email Kailey Musso at knmusso@ndow.org.
Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii bouvieri)
For many, a surprising native trout species in Nevada is the Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout (YCT). This cutthroat subspecies is most commonly associated with the mountain regions of Montana and Wyoming east of the Continental Divide as well as the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. YCT are native and can currently be found only in the Goose Creek drainage (Goose Creek and Little Goose Creek) in the extreme northeast corner of the state near the border intersection of Nevada, Idaho, and Utah.
Commission Policy 33 – Fisheries Management Program
Description: All policies are currently under review in the Administrative Procedures, Regulations and Policy Committee, to see any potential edits please email Kailey Musso at knmusso@ndow.org.
Bull Trout (Salvelinus confluentus)
One of the most unlikely trout species native to the dry state of Nevada is the Bull Trout. These fish are commonly referred to as a glacial relic of the last ice age due their strict habitat requirements for cooler climates and cold water. They are abundant throughout the Pacific Northwest and most of Canada. In fact, the Bull Trout in Nevada represent the southernmost extent of the species in North America. Bull trout are native to the Jarbidge River drainage in northern Elko County which include the East and West Forks of the Jarbidge Rivers and all associated tributary streams.
Bull Trout Recovery Plan (2015) – Link
Bull Trout Species Management Plan for the Nevada Portion of the Jarbidge River Drainage Basin – Link
Commission Policy 33 – Fisheries Management Program
Description: All policies are currently under review in the Administrative Procedures, Regulations and Policy Committee, to see any potential edits please email Kailey Musso at knmusso@ndow.org.
Interior Redband Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss ssp.)
Interior Redband Trout, often referred to as Redband Trout or Redbands, represent the most abundant native trout species in Nevada both in number of streams occupied and number of individual fish. Although many people are not familiar with them, Redband Trout are essentially native Rainbow Trout. However, Interior Redband are genetically differentiated from Coastal Rainbow Trout, which are heavily domesticated and have been used for hatchery stocking for decades. Native Redband Trout in Nevada can be found in the streams and rivers associated with the Bruneau, Owyhee, Jarbidge, and Salmon Falls river drainages.
Commission Policy 33 – Fisheries Management Program
Description: All policies are currently under review in the Administrative Procedures, Regulations and Policy Committee, to see any potential edits please email Kailey Musso at knmusso@ndow.org.
Mountain Whitefish (Prosopium williamsoni)
Sometimes confused with a non-game species and often overlooked by anglers, the Mountain Whitefish is a close relative to other trout species. Native to a large portion of the western United States, the Mountain Whitefish can be found in a number of waters in western and northeast Nevada. Mountain Whitefish have stringent habitat requirements and can generally be found in cool, clean rivers and streams. Mountain Whitefish are native to the Truckee and Walker river systems in the western part of the state and the Bruneau, Jarbidge, Owyhee, and Salmon Falls river drainages in northeast Nevada.
Commission Policy 33 – Fisheries Management Program
Description: All policies are currently under review in the Administrative Procedures, Regulations and Policy Committee, to see any potential edits please email Kailey Musso at knmusso@ndow.org.
If you’re ready to catch all six of these native trout species in Nevada, give our Native Trout Slam a try. Additional information along with the applications, rules, and regulations can be found here. – Link