https://cpw.cvlcollections.org/files/original/e9c9c2692738a8257741a56fcb9b8015.jpg 37c4965f97dc75bd43c99715aa530f4d https://cpw.cvlcollections.org/files/original/af370a1da2e3e60cb0e4a997d5e1ec6c.jpg a74a26fc315de82c4afe18cb22237762 https://cpw.cvlcollections.org/files/original/38eb994cbcfa5a15d42c3ef4ce9c8333.pdf 84d745f515daeee41e184da0d69dd3a5 PDF Text Text “Coronado sets out to the north” — oil painting by Frederic Remington. A Species in Time Threats and Current Status Today, because of a host of pressures, the Rio Grande cutthroat occupies only 10–12 percent of its historic range. T he Rio Grande cutthroat was the first trout to be encountered by Europeans in the West. In 1541, Francisco de Coronado’s expedition to find the mythical cities of gold came across the Rio Grande cutthroat in the upper Pecos River near what is now Santa Fe, New Mexico. The primary threats to Rio Grande cutthroat include: • Nonnative trout. Rainbow trout, an introduced species, as well as other cutthroat subspecies have the ability to hybridize with the Rio Grande cutthroat and therefore jeopardize genetic integrity at the population level. Other non-native trout, including brown trout and brook trout, threaten the Rio Grande cutthroat through competition for habitat and prey. To address the threats from non-natives, populations of Rio Grande cutthroat often require a physical separation in the form of a man-made or natural barrier. While these barriers are necessary, they can isolate populations and therefore make them more vulnerable to natural disturbances like wildfire and drought. All 14 cutthroat trout subspecies (two of them now extinct) share a common ancestor that branched off from the rainbow trout at the end of the Pliocene epoch around 2 million years ago. The Rio Grande cutthroat branched off from the Colorado River cutthroat into the previously unoccupied Rio Grande basin following the last glacial period around 70,000 years ago. In 1878, Forest and Stream magazine reported an account of Colorado Governor Hunt taking a general from Pennsylvania fishing on Trinchera Creek near Fort Garland. The story follows that the governor heard a commotion and saw a big fish flying through the air. He found the general hoisting a three-pound Rio Grande cutthroat over his shoulder and exclaiming, “oh, I have a leg of mutton on my hook.” To this day, Trinchera Creek is a stronghold for RGCT, thanks to a partnership between Colorado Parks and Wildlife and Louis Bacon’s Trinchera Blanca Foundation. A Southwest Treasure The Rio Grande cutthroat is the native trout of the Rio Grande and its tributaries in Colorado and New Mexico. It’s a beautiful, unique cutthroat trout sub-species and exciting game fish. It belongs here, because it has adapted to our region for eons. Rio Grande cutthroat are part of our culture and angling heritage. • Mining and irrigation development “If the philosophical, theoretical, and practical values associated with cutthroat trout were better understood, insensitivity and opposition to their restoration and protection would greatly diminish.” can have negative impacts if improperly managed. With climate change predictions and an ongoing drought in the Southwest, the challenge is to reduce these negative impacts while sustaining agriculture and the local economies. • Roads, logging, and grazing. Cutthroat trout are sensitive to changes in water quality. Increased sedimentation created by roads, logging, and grazing can degrade spawning habitat. Decreases in concentrations of dissolved oxygen caused by higher stream temperatures and excessive nutrient inputs further restrict Rio Grande cutthroat distribution and reproductive success. Collaborative planning and management of these activities that account for healthy stream and riparian function is crucial to sustaining both RGCT populations and traditional resource use activities. The Rio Grande cutthroat trout is currently a candidate for listing protection under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will make a decision on whether or not to list the Rio Grande cutthroat sub-species in 2014. Trout Unlimited supports the efforts of the Range Wide Conservation team that has been working to protect, conserve, and restore populations of RGCT for over a decade. —Robert J. Behnke, aka “Dr. Trout” Partners How You Can Help We want to offer a special thanks to all of the great partners that have joined forces to get this important information out to anglers like you. The future of the Rio Grande cutthroat depends on collective awareness. Take the Survey Information from anglers is vital to protecting the Rio Grande cutthroat. Your tax-deductible contributions to Trout Unlimited will help directly fund projects for Rio Grande cutthroat in Colorado, including habitat restoration, streamflow improvements, and other work that makes fishing better. We invite you to be an important partner in this great cause. Please take a few minutes for a brief survey about Rio Grande cutthroat trout at www.tu.org/rgct To donate directly, send a check payable to Trout Unlimited Rio Grande Basin. Write “Rio Grande cutthroat trout” in the memo line, and include a return address to receive a receipt. Your survey response is extremely important. It will help Trout Unlimited protect, reconnect, and restore populations of Rio Grande cutthroat trout in Colorado. Mail to: K � evin Terry Rio Grande Basin Project Manager Trout Unlimited P.O. Box 281 Del Norte, CO 81132 Photo: Frank Weissbarth Fly Shop Partners Other Partners Conejos River Anglers (719) 376-5660 www.conejosriveranglers.com San Luis Valley Chapter Trout Unlimited Connect Duranglers Flies and Supplies (970) 385-4081 www.duranglers.com There are many other ways for you to help your native cutthroat trout. Please contact Kevin Terry at kterry@tu.org to sign up to be an on-the-ground advocate and volunteer for Rio Grande cutthroat work. Ramble House and Creede Outfitters (719) 658-2482 www.ramblehouse.net Become a member of TU! Go to tu.org Rio Grande Anglers (719) 658-2955 www.riograndeangler.com Wolf Creek Anglers (719) 873-1414 www.wolfcreekanglers.com RGCT Range-Wide Conservation Team Colorado Division of Parks and Wildlife New Mexico Department of Game and Fish National Park Service • Bureau of Land Management United States Forest Service • United States Fish and Wildlife Service • Taos Pueblo • Mescalero Apache Tribe • Jicarilla Apache Nation This brochure was funded by the small grants program of the Western Native Trout Initiative. To learn more, or to find out how to help the cause, please visit www.wnti.org. Design: Jeremy Carlson Contribute �Natives Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) has an extensive program that offers anglers the opportunity to fish for Rio Grande cutthroat trout. Over 80 recreational populations have been established in high mountain lakes and streams throughout the Rio Grande Basin of Colorado. These populations are intended to provide opportunities for anglers to catch RGCT. CPW maintains these populations through stocking by plane, pack animals, and vehicles. Bamboo rod photo courtesy of R.L. Winston Rod Co. Fishing Lifespan R� io Grande cutthroat typically live 5-8 years. Diet R� io Grande cutthroat primarily feed on aquatic and terrestrial insects, although at larger sizes they can be piscivorous, eating small fish. Oncorhynchus Clarki virginalis R i o G r a n d e C u t t h r o a t Tr o u t 1˝ Color Some favorite recreational populations are listed below. Some of these lakes and streams have other species of trout too. You can find a complete list as well as information on the management of the species by searching for “cutthroat trout” at cpw.state.co.us. 2˝ 3˝ 4˝ 5˝ 6˝ R� io Grande cutthroat display a variety of colorations including bright crimson red and orange on the belly. The sides of the fish are golden yellow trending to a greenish hue on the back. They have large spots concentrated near the tail. 7˝ 8˝ Size 9˝ R� io Grande cutthroat size is variable, and based on the available habitat. In small headwater streams adults are generally 6-10˝ in length. 10 ˝ 11 ˝ 12 ˝ 13 ˝ In larger streams and rivers, adults can reach sizes of 14-15˝. In lakes they can reach lengths of over 20˝ and weights up to 5 lbs. La k es S treams Spawning Season QQArchuleta Creek QQAdams Fork Conejos River QQConejos River, Middle Fork QQConejos River, North Fork QQConejos River, South Fork QQHanson Creek QQLost Trail Creek QQWest Lost Trail Creek QQPole Creek QQAlberta Park Reservoir QQBear Lake QQBeaver Lake QQBlue Lake (Conejos Basin) QQCliff Lake QQComo Lake QQNorth Crestone Lake QQSouth Crestone Lake QQDeadman Lakes QQGlacier Lake QQGoose Lake QQGreen Lake QQHeart Lake QQKerr Lake QQLa Jara Reservoir QQLost Lake QQRed Lake QQRock Lake QQBig Ruby Lake QQLittle Ruby Lake QQLittle Sand Creek Lake QQLower Sand Creek Lake QQUpper Sand Creek Lake QQLower Spruce Lake QQUpper Spruce Lake QQTrail Lake QQTrout Lake QQUte Lakes QQLower Willow Creek Lake Don' gt et! for Rio Grande cutthroat spawn in the spring following runoff, when water temperatures approach 50° F. This takes place from March through July across their range. QQProspect Creek QQRio Grande above Rio Grande Res QQMiddle Saguache Creek Illustration © Joseph R. Tomelleri Larger spots near the tail are often club-shaped. QQSouth Fork Saguache Creek QQSquaw Creek QQTreasure Creek QQUte Creek QQWeminuche Creek Check Colorado state fishing regulations and practice proper catch-and-release methods Rio Grande cutthroat HISTORIC AND CURRENT RANGE This map of the upper Rio Grande River Basin shows how the Rio Grande cutthroat range has receded over time. Saguache g Historic Range Saguache g Current Range S A N 0 2 Mineral Rio Grande Alamosa South Fork L U I S Rio Grande Del Norte Alamosa Blanca V A L L E Y Co Costilla Conejos ne jos R. N E W Antonito M E X I C O 5 10 Fishing Tips Fishing Tactics: Connecting Ecology and Fishing: Streams— Stealth, stealth, stealth! Take your time to sneak up to good habitat and scan the water. You can often see your quarry before you cast. Light (2–3wt) fly rods that are 6–8 ft. long are perfect for high country streams that are tight and overgrown. Approach from downstream, keep a low profile, and always pay attention to your shadow. Rio Grande cutthroat trout inhabit high elevation streams and lakes. These ecosystems are generally low in algae and plant productivity. In streams, organic material like leaves and wood from riparian vegetation are very important energy sources to the system. Lakes— Fishing for Rio Grande cutthroat in lakes can be challenging. However, it can often be the 25 MI most rewarding, especially if you are after larger fish. There are lakes in Colorado that have 20+ inch RGCT. If feasible, a personal watercraft like a float tube or small boat is nice to have. Dry fly Fly Box fishing is usually better in low w Sallys, llo light conditions around dawn Ye s, am Ad te hu Dry flies — Parac f, hoppers, ants, beetles, and dusk. When the fish are ulf W l es stimulators, Roya dg mi r he ot d an not rising, fish nymph patterns th’s Gnats elk hair caddis, Griffi deep, or strip woolly buggers and , Copper Johns, hs mp Ny e streamers around structure. A 9 inc Pr — Nymphs rvae & pupae), (la is dd ca , foot 5-6 weight fly rod is a good hs mp ny stonefly midae fly nymphs, Chirono el ms da choice for lake fishing. rs, Ea 's re Ha streamers Woolly Buggers, nymphs & emergers, . frog, salamander) etc (minnows, crayfish, Aquatic insects that use this material as food are commonly referred to as shredders. There are shredders in the stonefly, caddis, and mayfly families. Terrestrial insects like ants, beetles, and grasshoppers are also significant to the RGCT diet in headwater streams. The season for feeding and growth is short in the high country. Therefore, these fish are opportunistic, and often the fly choice is not as important as presentation and stealth. High country lakes that hold Rio Grande cutthroat differ ecologically from the streams. They often have more algae and plant growth, and host other aquatic insects. Chironomidae midges are common in these lakes as well as caddis and mayflies. Dragonflies and damselflies are likely residents if there are aquatic plants present. Other possible prey items include snails, frogs, scuds, salamanders, and even small trout or minnows. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Aquatics Research Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout Description An account of the resource Rio Grande cutthroat trout, Oncorhynchus clarkii virginalis, can be found in high elevation streams and lakes of the Rio Grande, Canadian, and Pecos River drainages in Colorado and New Mexico, giving it the southern-most distribution of any form of Cutthroat Trout. It now only occupies just 12 percent of its historic habitat in approximately 800 miles of streams. Biologists estimate that 127 conservation populations now exist in the two states, and 57 of those populations are considered to be secure.  The historic range of Rio Grande cutthroat trout has been reduced over the last 150 years due to many changes on the landscape, including: drought, water infrastructure, habitat changes, hybridization with nonnative Rainbow and Cutthroat Trout, and competition with Brook and Brown Trout.  As a result, pure populations of Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout are restricted primarily to headwater streams. The first conservation agreement for Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout between state, federal, and tribal resource agencies was signed in 2003, and gave rise to the Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout Conservation Team. The stated goal of the agreement is to assure the "long-term viability of Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout throughout its historic range by minimizing or removing threats to the species and promoting conservation." This collaborative framework was updated in the <a href="https://cpw.catalog.aspencat.info/Files/1131/ViewPDF">2013 Conservation Agreement</a>(12MB) and the <a href="https://cpw.catalog.aspencat.info/Files/1153/ViewPDF">2013 Conservation Strategy</a> which outline long-term conservation objectives for this subspecies. Conservation Team Documents Status Assessments <ul> <li><a href="https://cpw.catalog.aspencat.info/Files/2223/ViewPDF">2016 Status Assessment</a></li> <li><a href="http://hermes.cde.state.co.us/drupal/islandora/object/co:32436/datastream/OBJ/view">2008 Status Assessment</a> (27MB)</li> </ul> Conservation Strategies <ul> <li><a href="https://cpw.catalog.aspencat.info/Files/1153/ViewPDF">2013 Conservation Strategy</a></li> <li><a href="http://hermes.cde.state.co.us/drupal/islandora/object/co:32436/datastream/OBJ/view ">2013 Conservation Agreement</a></li> </ul> Rangewide Accomplishments <ul> <li><a href="https://cpw.cvlcollections.org/files/original/491ccf041bcdac70dfa4359e1347bee2.pdf">2022 Rangewide Accomplishments</a></li> <li><a href="https://cpw.cvlcollections.org/files/original/a4870ed12f6272c0dfc5bb51e11340cf.pdf">2021 Rangewide Accomplishments</a></li> <li><a href="https://cpw.cvlcollections.org/files/original/d72d6f7bee18e72396204a81f496c868.pdf">2020 Rangewide Accomplishments</a></li> <li><a href="https://cpw.cvlcollections.org/files/original/a3e87c667a2bae84b8a833663bbf8fe7.pdf">2019 Rangewide Accomplishments</a></li> <li><a href="https://cpw.cvlcollections.org/files/original/a8c9f0970f5ae5c62c9f3467e775bf5c.pdf">2018 Rangewide Accomplishments</a></li> <li><a href="https://cpw.cvlcollections.org/files/original/56fdcfced340a561fcf9c564638bea65.pdf">2017 Rangewide Accomplishments</a></li> <li><a href="https://cpw.cvlcollections.org/files/original/bdda4e71eebcd06ebb798a68935b38eb.pdf">2016 Rangewide Accomplishments</a></li> <li><a href="https://cpw.cvlcollections.org/files/original/bab05f5daa567b5909ad3793831444a7.pdf">2015 Rangewide Accomplishments</a></li> <li><a href="https://cpw.cvlcollections.org/files/original/52a15ecbcfd8ae9e55f28c214d88f3ca.pdf">2014 Rangewide Accomplishments</a></li> <li><a href="https://cpw.cvlcollections.org/files/original/d9260d50800a46b88bba19dabeec62a7.pdf">2013 Rangewide Accomplishments</a></li> <li><a href="https://cpw.cvlcollections.org/files/original/bcd4e2fab0cb6836091f6ab30b52939b.pdf">2012 Rangewide Accomplishments</a></li> <li><a href="https://cpw.cvlcollections.org/files/original/05da6469f8a5e23a48e16b0ec2bdc7cc.pdf">2011 Rangewide Accomplishments</a></li> <li><a href="https://cpw.cvlcollections.org/files/original/fceabc65451412ae0a059c96a3b02724.pdf">2010 Rangewide Accomplishments</a></li> <li><a href="https://cpw.cvlcollections.org/files/original/df1ecfede569d32a46f6f3abb9fb1624.pdf">2009 Rangewide Accomplishments</a></li> <li><a href="https://cpw.cvlcollections.org/files/original/24c597c44496bf8f2a30647df057c241.pdf">2008 Rangewide Accomplishments</a></li> </ul>