RIVER FISH · Rainbow-cutthroat hybrid
Cutbow trout
Oncorhynchus mykiss × Oncorhynchus clarkii
A fertile hybrid between rainbow trout and cutthroat trout that can show a mixture of spotting, coloration and jaw-slash traits from both parent lineages.
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Meet the fish
- Habitat
- Cold lakes, reservoirs, rivers and streams where rainbow and cutthroat trout overlap naturally or through stocking.
- On the menu
- Aquatic and terrestrial insects, crustaceans and small fish, broadly reflecting the diets of the parent trout.
- Size context
- Growth varies by waterbody. Colorado recognizes cutbow as its own record category, and productive reservoirs can grow fish well beyond typical stream sizes.
- Range & local context
- Occurs where rainbow and cutthroat trout populations overlap, especially in western North America; some populations are naturally hybridized while others reflect stocking histories.
Living with the river
Water & habitat
Cold water, oxygen, cover and clean gravel are useful habitat context. Hybrid presence cannot be inferred from a gauge or from trout appearance alone.
Seasonal life
Spawning behavior follows trout patterns, using flowing water and gravel habitat when mature fish reproduce.
Why this song? Cutbows combine rainbow-trout and cutthroat-trout ancestry, making “Double Vision” a playful hybrid pick.
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Before you go
Hybridization can be a conservation concern where native cutthroat genetics are being protected. Regulations and management goals vary by watershed.
Use the linked agencies and the relevant river guide for current regulations, closures and consumption advisories. A species profile is not a fishing license or a statement that harvest is allowed.
Editorial review: . Regional size examples are labeled; maximum lengths are not typical sizes.
More river fish
Keep exploring species connected to the same river-guide network.