Coastal Cutthroat Trout on Oregon Field Guide

Ragnar · 02-08-2004, 09:35 AM

The most recent episode of Oregon Field Guide was on the other night. One of the segments was on Coastal Cutthroat Trout. I've been working with some friends of mine from the USFWS on this study for the last three years.
In addition to many other pieces of footage. there's quick (I mean, real quick) shot of Ole' Ragnar running a Backpack Electrofisher on Abernathy Cr.
It's bee fun and excition work.
They should re-run the episode tonight (Sunday) or Monday on OPB.
Enjoy.
Ragnar

Navigator · 02-08-2004, 10:50 AM

Thanks Ragnar for the heads up on this!

Jennie@ifish · 02-08-2004, 10:56 AM

Thank you! If anyone figures out when, exactly. Please post this info!
I'll go look! COOL!

Jen

ANDYCOHO · 02-08-2004, 03:12 PM

Hey, I thought that guy looked familiar! I love that show!

That must have been some sort of grant to study those Cutthroat, lookn' at that boat they were running tracking those fish....Man, I'm in the wrong line of work.

I have that episode on tape if anyone would like to borrow it....

But it will play again at 6:30 on OPB tonight (Sunday)

[ 02-08-2004, 04:13 PM: Message edited by: ANDYCOHO ]

Ray S. · 02-08-2004, 08:58 PM

Ragman... let's go electrocute some springers. I'll look for you on the telly. Give me a shout.
Ray

SandySteel · 02-08-2004, 09:12 PM

Just a quick questions of clarification as the cutthroat were sea-run cutthroat but were not "coastal" in terms of their natal stream. These were Columbia river tributary fish. (Of course one could argue that the Columbia is a coastal river but the fish they were tracking came from the gorge.) Do the biologists refer to them as "coastal" cutthroat?
Nonetheless, it was a fascinating show. A good friend of mine is a fisheries biologist studying the Klamath Falls suckers. The work of the biologist is thankless. Many hard hours doing monotonous work while all kinds of politics are breathing down your neck.

Ty · 02-08-2004, 09:59 PM

Sandy Steel,
"The work of the biologist is thankless. Many hard hours doing monotonous work while all kinds of politics are breathing down your neck."

You can say that again!!!!

Yes, coastal cutthroat are are called coastal cutthroat, sea-run cutthraot, or bluebacks (not to be confused w/ sockeye). I think the two names are the same.

There are distinct groups on the coast and populations may consist of more than one river per poulation or just one river depending on the geography of region.

fishnbus · 02-08-2004, 11:02 PM

Thanks for the info. Just checked the TV listings and there is an Oregon Field Guide listed for tonight at 6:30 and no listing for Mon. night. I'll be watching. Dennis

Ragnar · 02-09-2004, 12:25 PM

SandySteel,
I'm not exactly sure where you got the idea that the fish in tha Oregon Field Guide segment were from the Gorge.
The fish in question were actually caught by us on Abernathy Cr. (just west of Longview, WA). I also know that some footage came from the Cowlitz Rv.
As for the name of these fish?.......If you want to get technical we most certainly can sir...
The Scientific name is Oncorhynhus Clarki Clarki.
There are anodronus and resident populations sometimes living in the same streams. Hence the use of the more general terminology "Coastal" instead of "Sea-Run" implying that ALL of these fish actually out-migrated to the ocean and estuaries before returning to their natal streams to spawn.
A small part of the study is genetics work. They're hoping to find out if a resident population (lives it's entire life in the stream) can have offspring that are anadronus and vice-versa and if so, what is the "trigger?". Hence the reason for the genetic samples taken from every single fish we tag.
The work that this group of Biologists from USFWS is conductiong is also being done on the Chinook Rv (WA)., Mill Cr. (WA), Gee Cr. (WA), and now the Salmon Rv (near Lincoln City, OR).
If you want talk genetics, we can go there too....
The Cutts in the Salmon Rv. in Oregon, have the same genetics as those that are in Gee Cr. in Clark Co., WA.
Of course with every stream you're going to have slight variations on genetic strains, but those fish are still classified as the same.
*****Remember everyone!****
This IS a documentary, yes. But it is ALSO T.V. They couldn't sqeeze in all of the details or people would simply be on information overload and not watch the show. So, they just show SOME of the big picture, but not the WHOLE big picture.
I have some stories I could tell...., but really don't have the time right now.
I hopes this is the clarification your are looking for.
Keepin' the Bull-Jive to a minimum,
Ragnar

Ty · 02-09-2004, 01:00 PM

Ragnar,
I believe that teh word u are searching for is "anadromous" which means born in fresh water and rear's in salt water.

Cutthroat do spend a fair amount of time in the estuaries and even some time in near shore waters in the ocean. Many return and over winter in there natal streams wether they are going to spawn or not, this makes them very different than steelhead (with the exception of half pounders). So cutthroat spend alot more time in estuaries and there natal and possibily other streams than there steelhead cousins.

Two main reasons they are in peril, teh poor status of our estuaries coast wide, and yours truelly the steelhead and trout fisherman. I know that the mortality rate from catch and release. Those big treble hooks are killer on those littel dudes!

Ragnar · 02-09-2004, 02:52 PM

Ty.
Thanks for the spelling correction. Nice of you to notice. I think I'm gonna sleep better now.
Now if I can just figure out the difference between "to", "too" and "two." Or perhaps, work out my problems with the correct use of "there", "their" and "they're".
I am not a Biologist Ty, I only play one on television somtimes.
I hope there weren't too many people confused by my spelling mistakes.
I apologize from the bottom of my heart, if that was the case. I'M SORRY PEOPLE! PLEASE FORGIVE ME!

Is there anything else you'd like to point out? Perhaps pluck my uni-brow into two actuall eyebrows?

Maybe,I don't really know what I'm talking about Ty... It's not like I was THERE or any thing.
But really..... Thanks for setting things straight. The confusion can get really hairy sometimes.
Well, now I have that song, "Crysalt Blue Persuasion" (yes I spelled that wrong just for you Ty), stuck in my head.
We can continue this little conversation somewhere else if you'd like, but it will be brief at best. So how 'bout we drop it before someone gets to feeling all happy-sad. Mmm-kay?
I'm done with this.
Ragnar out.

Ty · 02-09-2004, 03:01 PM

Whhhooooowweeeee.......

Glad we got that all staightened out.....

Sorry to cause sucha stir there dude... relayy didn't mean to come accross so wrong...

No offence intended..... Really guys, life histories are very confusing and convuluded, there is very little known and there dimise is one of the greatest losses in the NW.

Just wanted to point out there complex life history...

Everybody just need to go fishin and have fun, especially in the sun!!!

Sir Fishalot · 02-09-2004, 03:22 PM

That was a prime example of a typo gone bad!
:grin:

Pilar · 02-09-2004, 03:37 PM

Troy ....

Where can I get one of those fancy backpack fishin poles???

Thumb Burner · 02-09-2004, 03:58 PM

Both of you are good people and know your biology. Its hard for me to read this on ifish. I am actually learning something from you guys and this post goes south. I would like to learn more in the future on ifish. That is why I love this site. There is no choosing sides here. Just want us all to get along. This has been resently discussed. Unfortunately I guess there is nothing we can do about it, its going to happen I guess.

Love to fish and LEARN.
Think positive guys
SS

GutshotApe · 02-10-2004, 05:36 AM

There are several types of cutthroat trout in the West...Coastal, WestSlope, Yellowstone, Lahontan, GreenBack, Colorado, etc, etc. All are sub-species of Salmo clarkii.

The Coastal sub-species, S.c.clarkii is found from SE Alaska to northern California (in western Oregon & Washington exclusively west of the summit of the Cascade Mtns)...there are 4 separate life histories exhibited by Coastal cutts, sometimes occurring in the same stream simultaneously: resident fish that live their entire lives in headwater areas; migratory fish that move down from natal headwater areas to larger lower river areas (returning to spawn in headwaters); migratory fish that move from headwater natal areas to lakes & reservoirs (returning to spawn in headwaters); and, migratory fish (anadromous) that make relatively short trips into saltwater for foraging but also return to headwater areas to spawn.

As far as I know, there is no research that proves conclusively whether these 4 life histories can potentially be exhibited by young fish hatching from the same redd or whether, for example, sea-run cutts produce only other sea-run-type progeny, exclusively.

[ 02-10-2004, 06:43 AM: Message edited by: GutshotApe ]