Bull Trout - Montana Fly Fishing Species
Bull trout are native to Montana and inhabit rivers and streams west of the Continental Divide where they are found in the Clark Fork and Flathead River drainages.
Bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) have pale yellow spots along the back and red or orange spots along their sides. The general appearance shows light spots on darker backgrounds like others in the char family and opposite of trout. The leading edge of the fins are white, and the dorsal fin is translucent.
These fish are highly sensitive to habitat degradation. Bull trout do not tolerate high sediment levels in their spawning streams because it can suffocate developing embryos before they hatch. Therefore, they only spawn in clean headwater streams with clear gravel or rubble bottoms.
They have a great need for unaltered habitat, so you’ll only find them in pristine waters. Both migratory and stream-resident bull trout move great distances depending on seasonal habitat requirements and disturbances. They’ve been known to travel up to 156 miles to access quality habitat, so maintaining connection between habitats is critical to its survival.
They have also been displaced due to non-native competition from, especially, brook trout. These two species can interbreed resulting in sterile hybrids, which has led to further decrease in bull trout populations.
Bull trout feed primarily on aquatic invertebrates, but adults are also known to be piscivorous (or eat other fish). They can grow up to 37 inches and weigh as much as 20 pounds. The record catch in Montana was over 25 pounds in 1916.