Bull Trout

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The bull trout is a threatened species, so watch what you reel in!

At one time, bull trout were common to all the major river systems flowing from the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains to the far prairie and parklands of the west. When anglers began stocking streams with new species in the early 1900s, many saw bull trout as unwanted predators that fed on the more favored species. They removed large bull trout to improve the survival of other fish. During the last 25 years, bull trout numbers have declined even more, primarily as a result of overfishing. This species is not in immediate danger of extinction in many areas but could easily disappear from some lakes and streams.

Bull trout and the trout called Dolly Varden look very similar and once were considered the same species. However, research has identified them as different species. Both have small pale yellow to crimson spots on a darker background, which ranges from olive green to brown above, fading to white on the belly. Spawning adults develop varying amounts of red on the belly. Both species also exhibit differences in size, body characteristics, coloration, and behavior across their range. Bull trout are larger than Dolly Varden, with a relatively longer and broader head. Bull trout are mainly an inland species, while Dolly Varden are more common in coastal areas. In Washington State, both species are present in the Puget Sound area. 

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