Known as the sharks of the trout family, bull trout have become one of the most sought after trophy fish in North American rivers and lakes. Members of the salmon family known as char, bull trout are second only to Alaskan Blackfish in relation to northern most water distribution. These fish are well adapted for life in very cold water much like the other native species of char, which include the Dolly Varden and Lake Trout. These aggressively feeding fish can grow to more than 20 pounds in certain environments.

Dolly Varden is an entirely different sub-species from the Bull Trout. This is a common misconception among many anglers. Bull trout are distinctively larger and tend to live farther inland than the Dolly Varden. Bull trout are native throughout the entire Pacific Northwest and historically were present throughout the Columbia River Basin, western Montana, south to the Jarbidge River in northern Nevada and southern Idado, the Klamath Basin in Oregon, the McCloud River in California and north to Alberta, British Columbia and possibly southeastern Alaska. The main populations remaining in the lower 48 states are in Montana, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.

Bull trout are aggressive feeders and start their feeding patterns by eating terrestrial and aquatic insects. Later in life they start to begin preying on small fish and rodents. Large bull trout are primarily fish predators.

After reaching sexual maturity between the ages of four and seven years of age, bull trout spawn during the late fall. These fish have been known to live as long as 15 years. Some spawning areas are associated with cold water pour overs or areas where stream flow is influenced by slightly rising water.

North and north-central Idaho continues to boast one of the most solid populations of bull trout in the lower 48 states. Bull trout are vulnerable and are limited due to their desire for coldwater habitat. Similar to salmon in the Snake River Basin, bull trout’s sensitivity to water temperatures, poor stream and river maintenance, overfishing, man-made structures and regressive water quality bull trout have struggled to maintain their affluent feeding lifestyle in our water systems.

Protection practices that focus on the restoration of streams and pollution from roads and other erosion sites that hurt the quality of our waters will be the first step in restoring these native populations of trout. Bull trout harvesting is being limited greatly in North America and this should help in the continued preservation of this species.

Learn more about:

Cutthroat Trout

Rainbow Trout

Idaho Fly Fishing