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THE RED-THROAT TROUT (Salmo Clarkii). 



The red-throat trout, or native trout, is the most widely distributed 

 of all the native fishes of Montana. It inhabits both slopes of the Rocky- 

 Mountains, and, as might be inferred from this extensive range, it varies 

 in external appearance more than any of the trout species. There are 

 a dozen or more well-defined sub-species or geographical varieties, but all 

 have the characteristic red splashes on the membrane of the throat. By 

 means of this "trade-mark" it may be readily distinguished from the 

 rainbow or steelhead trouts, both of which are also black-spotted. 



But while the red-throat trout varies considerably in contour, colora- 

 tion and markings, in different localities, it is identical in structure 

 wherever found. It is known by the U. S. Bureau of Fisheries as the 

 "black-spotted trout," a most unfortunate designation, inasmuch as the 

 rainbow and steelhead trouts are also "black-spotted." The name red- 

 throat trout is distinctive, and is preferable to the rather repulsive name 

 of "cut-throat" trout by which it is also known. The red-throat trout is 

 designated in Montana by such names as "trout," "brook trout," "speckled 

 mountain trout," etc. As the eastern red-spotted "brook trout" is rapidly 

 being introduced to our waters, the name "brook trout" should be applied 

 only to that species. 



Where the red-throat trout grows to a larger size than usual, as in 

 the Yellowstone and other lakes, it is often called "salmon-trout", 

 and the bull trout of the west slope is also sometimes known by the 

 same name, but the only "salmon-trout" is the steelhead trout. The red- 

 throat trout rises to the fly more freely than eastern brook trout, though 

 in gameness and flavor it is hardly its equal. Its habits are also some- 

 what different. It usually lies in pools and holes, and does not frequent 

 the riffles so much as the eastern trout. In size it is somewhat larger 

 than the eastern trout in streams of the same relative width and depth, 

 and like all trout species grows bigger in lakes and large streams. I 

 have taken them on the fly weighing from three to five pounds in Soda 

 Butte Lake in the Yellowstone Park, and in Yankee Jim Canyon on the 

 Yellowstone River. It seldom breaks water when hooked, but puts up 

 a vigorous fight beneath the surface. In Yellowstone Lake it is infested 

 with the white pelican parasite, rendering it emaciated and lacking in 

 game qualities; this condition, however, seems to be disappearing some- 

 what, while those in the river are well-nourished and gamy. Under 

 favorable conditions it grows rapidly. One taken from a pond near 

 Toston, supplied from Bozeman Station, weighed three pounds, dressed, 

 when two years old. 



THE STEELHEAD TROUT. (Salmo gairdneri). 



The steelhead, or salmon-trout, is the trimmest and most graceful 

 and the gamest of all the trout species, being more "salmon-like" in shape 

 and appearance. On the Pacific coast, where it is native, and runs to 

 salt water, it grows to twenty pounds or more in weight, when it is known 

 as steelhead salmon, and many are packed under this name. Its spots 

 are smaller than in the other black-spotted species. It has, usually, 

 especially the males, a pink flush along the sides, but not so pronounced 



