130 PRACTICAL FLY FISHING 



is the cut throat trout (Salmo clarkii) and 12 sub- 

 species and the steel head trout (Salmo gairdneri) and 

 three sub-species. These fishes are all salmon trout, 

 the only charr native to the Rocky Mountain waters 

 being the bull trout. 



The Colorado trout known generally as the cut 

 throat, mountain trout or black spotted trout is the 

 fish most sought by tourists and natives in the western 

 mountains. Concerning this fish Shields said: "The 

 habits as well as color and shape of the Rocky Moun- 

 tain trout vary in different waters but in all cases are 

 different from those of the eastern brook trout. The 

 latter loves to hide under a log, a drift or a rock 

 while the former seeks an open riffle or rapid for his 

 feeding or lounging ground and when alarmed takes 

 refuge in some deep or open pool, but rarely or never 

 under a rock or log. Fontinalis is a lover of dark, 

 shady nooks while clarkii always prefers the sunniest 

 parts of lake or stream. The eastern trout feeds well 

 into the night while his mountain cousin suspends 

 operations promptly at sunset. 



"As to game qualities the western trout is every 

 inch the peer of his eastern congener." 



Other writers disagree as to the relative gameness 

 of the mountain trout as compared with fontinalis but 

 they all accord the mountain fish unstinted praise. 



The cut throat trout gets his name from a blood- 

 red, gash-like marking on the throat and he is always 

 heavily spotted with round, black spots. These spots 



