Trout

Steelhead trout are one of three species of trout native to Idaho.

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It was a taste-off, kokanee salmon against rainbow trout cooked several different ways. I wasn’t optimistic about the chances hatchery raised rainbow trout stood against salmon, but, judging by their size, these rainbows had been in Island Park Reservoir for several years so I was reasonably okay with the fairness issue.

Unsurprisingly, the salmon won by a wide margin. But everyone agreed that the trout were surprisingly good, both on the grill and baked in foil, making me anxious to catch more and try them in my smoker.

Trout are a premier fish in Idaho. Not only are they sought after as table fare, they also provide sport for tens of thousands of anglers and sustenance for a variety of wildlife including bears, eagles, osprey, kingfishers and mink.

Trout is a general name that covers three different genera within the salmon family: Salmo (Atlantic species), which includes the famous brown trout, Oncorhynchus (Pacific species), the genus for rainbow (and the anadromous steelhead which is a sea-run rainbow) and cutthroat trout, and Salvelinus, the genus for brook trout, bull trout and lake trout. There are also a few notable hybrids such as the famous and naturally producing cutbow (cutthroat x rainbow), the speckled trout or splake (brook x lake trout) and the tiger trout (brown x brook).

Within these three genera are a wide variety of subspecies such as golden trout and the giant Lahontan cutthroat. However, within Idaho, the Yellowstone cutthroat, the Snake River fine-spotted cutthroat (sometimes considered a separate subspecies and sometimes considered a variety of the Yellowstone cutthroat depending on the source), Bear Lake cutthroat, bull trout and the steelhead are native. Brown trout originate from Europe and Western Asia. Brook trout and associates are from the eastern US and Canada and rainbow trout (non-anadromous) are from the Pacific coastal states. All have been introduced into Idaho.

All trout have several features that make them trout. First, their shape is long and slender. Their fins have no sharp and bony rays like catfish or the sunfishes, and all have an adipose fin, a small fleshy fin without rays that aids in streamlining the fish in fast-moving water. They have fine scales and a total of eight fins.

For trout, water temperature is a major limiting factor. For instance, for brown trout, one of the most tolerant of warmer water, optimum water temperatures range from 53°F to 66°F. They can tolerate temperatures near 80°F for only short periods of time.

Another major limiting factor for trout in streams and rivers is silt. Silt is considered the number one pollutant in many trout waters. Silt is usually the result of bank destabilization (removal of vegetation that also shades and cools the water) and poorly maintained watersheds. Silt plugs gills and also covers reds (nests in gravel) and suffocates eggs.

Trout are relatively easy to raise in hatcheries. Idaho Department of Fish and Game raises and releases over 30 million fish each year across the state. Although 18 species are stocked, the vast majority are rainbow trout (and kokanee salmon) and are stocked in sizes ranging from fry and fingerlings to catchable-sized fish.

Rainbow trout also make up the bulk of the aquaculture (farm-raised) industry. Idaho’s fish farms supply 75 percent of over 50 million pounds of rainbow trout produced annually in the United States.

If I could choose, brook trout grilled over charcoal would be my first choice for table fare. Other trout are tasty though and like many meals, it is the memory of the catch that matters most.

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Help Idaho Wildlife

When we traveled across the state in October 2017, most of the vehicles we saw using the wildlife management areas did not have wildlife plates. Buying wildlife plates is a great way for non-hunters and hunters alike to support wildlife-based recreation like birding.

C'mon folks, let's help Idaho's wildlife by proudly buying and displaying a wildlife license plate on each of our vehicles! 

See below for information on Idaho plates. Most states have wildlife plates so if you live outside Idaho, check with your state's wildlife department or vehicle licensing division for availability of state wildlife plates where you live. 

And tell them that you heard about it from Nature-track.com!

Wildlife License Plates

Great news! as of 2024, there are three NEW designs for license plates. They still are bluebird, cutthroat trout and elk, but they are beautiful.

Idaho Wildlife license plates provide essential funding that benefits the great diversity of native plants and wildlife that are not hunted, fished or trapped—over 10,000 species or 98% of Idaho’s species diversity. Game species that share the same habitats (such as elk, deer, antelope, sage-grouse, salmon, trout) also benefit from these specialty plates.

No state tax dollars are provided for wildlife diversity, conservation education and recreation programs. Neither are any revenues from the sale of hunting or fishing licenses spent on nongame species. Instead, these species depend on direct donations, federal grants, fundraising initiatives—and the Idaho Wildlife license plates.

Both my vehicles have Bluebird Plates. I prefer the bluebird because the nongame program gets 70 percent of the money from bluebird plates, but only 60 percent of the money from elk and trout plates - 10 percent of the money from elk plates supports wildlife disease monitoring and testing programs (to benefit the livestock industry) and 10 percent from cutthroat plates supports non-motorized boat access.

Incidentally, in 2014, the Idaho Legislature denied the Department of Fish and Game the ability to add new plates or even to change the name of the elk and cutthroat plates (very specific) to wildlife and fish plates, a move that would have allowed for changing images occasionally and generating more revenue. It would seem that they believe that we Idahoans don't want a well funded wildlife program.

I think it is time we let the Legislature know that Idahoan support wildlife funding and that we would like to see these generic plates come to fruition.