Keep or catch & release sea run cutties?

U
uberschweiz
I should probably read the Oregon fishing regs before posting this question, but am curious what the group consensus is...

First off, do sea run cutthroat die after spawning or do they live another day? Considering that and the fishing regs, would you guys keep larger sea run cutthroat or would you catch and release only?

Would like to know what you think...
Cheers!
 
M
Markcanby
I would most likely release. Cutts are on the brink of disappearing all together in a lot of places do to cross breeding.
 
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B
beaverfan
The only cutthroat I'll keep are the mortally wounded ones that I can legally keep.
 
R
RunWithSasquatch
beaverfan said:
The only cutthroat I'll keep are the mortally wounded ones that I can legally keep.

Yep, thats a good way to play that game. You're bound to end up with bleeders.
 
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N
NoobTooner
i say STOP TARGETING CUTS!!! it's pointless... you've got so many bigger species to go after year round and trout taste like trout. so go after bows and browns.
 
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U
uberschweiz
Src

Src

Have any of you ever fished the Necanicum? The Mrs. wants to visit her grandmother in Seaside over the weekend and was thinking fishing the Necanicum for the SRC (I'll be nice, no barbs and catch-and-release), and maybe way up higher for trout. Should I bother with the Necanicum, or head South for the Nehalem, Trask and Wilson?
 
T
Thuggin4Life
I'll keep a few good cutties. we have good cutt water here in my neck of the woods were you can get some good sized ones. As for the sea runs they are just like a steelhead. returning to sea after the spawn. I dont target them much and when i do get one I keep it. Why? because i can and thye taste good.
 
N
n8r1
uberschweiz said:
Have any of you ever fished the Necanicum? The Mrs. wants to visit her grandmother in Seaside over the weekend and was thinking fishing the Necanicum for the SRC (I'll be nice, no barbs and catch-and-release), and maybe way up higher for trout. Should I bother with the Necanicum, or head South for the Nehalem, Trask and Wilson?

I'll be fishing the Necanicum tomorrow afternoon and maybe Saturday morning. Lots of resident cutts in there, and the sea runs should be showing too, especially in the lower sections. I'll be fly fishing, and to answer your first question, I release 100% of wild cutts that I catch regardless of size.

Also, unless something has changed, no bait on the Necanicum until 9/1. Lures & flies only. So the chance of mortally wounding one is small.
 
B
bigsteel
release all cutthroat,they dont belong on a dinner table.
 
T
troutramp
I Catch and release most of the time I keep a brookie once in a while if I am camping and want one for dinner, the searuns are recovering according to what I have read but, there is no need to eat them IMHO go eat brookies they are a char and prefered table fare over searun cutts.
 
T
Thuggin4Life
Sea run cutties are some of the best eating fish in the pacific northwest. brookies browns and rainbows are ok but even a non searun cutt is beter tasting. pellet heads.... fat chance you will see one on my plate.
 
F
fishtales
beg to differ I think they are kind of gross. Sry man. :( But if i was going to cook them it would be in the micro wave stuffed with shrimp or with a bunch of mayo in there.

To answer the question. I usually keep them. :)
 
T
troutramp
Well I have never actually ate a searun cutt, so I can't say, but I imagine they taste like trout.
 
B
BigShayne
troutramp said:
Well I have never actually ate a searun cutt, so I can't say, but I imagine they taste like trout.

No. They taste like steelhead. They live most of their lives in the salt water. I don't recommend keeping them, but "not tasting good" is a load of bull.
 
F
fishtales
well i guess they are good if you BBQ them. I am not a big fan of them these days.
 
B
Born2Fish55
Okay...

have to 'belly up to the bar' too! Searun Cutts are excellent table fare...

however, since I normally practice catch-n-release, I let them go unless they have a mortal wound, in which case I do keep them if allowed.
As for flavor, I place between Steelhead and Coho... broiled, baked or 'lightly' pan fried in butter with Paprika, White Pepper and Sea salt. Make a compote of wild Strawberries, Oregon Blackberries, and Salmomberries to place on the plate and you will have a meal fit for a King!!!
 
F
fishtales
awe.,, I'm out numberd by far. :( I might have to try one again one of these days and see if that recipe will change my mind. lol Catch and release is good pracitce but if i come a cross a bleeder i will give it a try.
 
GungasUncle
GungasUncle
Release, even on waters where it's now legal to keep. Personal ethics, I'd rather see the runs recover more, and if I want a trout to eat, I'll eat a rainbow or a brookie. Brownies aren't stocked anymore (with very few exceptions) so if I catch a brownie, he goes back, period.

As for the person ranting to "stop targeting trout" -- some of us actually enjoy fishing for trout, even if there are bigger fish to fish for. Size isn't everything.
 
U
uberschweiz
Short version: Nothing to report.

Long version: Got up at 5am on Saturday morning, made some breakfast and headed out with the fly rod and gear at 5:45am. Drove South of Seaside back to Hwy 26 and drove a few miles East to Kootchy County Park.

Walked out to the river and first impression — not a lot of water. I suppose this shouldn't have come as a surprise considering it's the middle of August in Oregon. The river was mainly shallow riffles for a quarter-mile, then a small drop into a pool, then more riffles for the next quarter-mile. The long and the short of it, nothing to report. The fishing, at least there, was non-existent.

Fortunately, I packed up and drove an hour South to the Wilson River (see my next post) and had a great day.

For the record, I did drive down the Necanicum into Seaside until the river started actually having some substantial volume. This was the main stretch that goes through the heart of downtown, extending under the 12th street bridge and then finally making the left-hand turn into the Pacific. I ask a couple people that were crabbing off the bridge if they knew if the sea-run cutthroat were running and my question was met with thrugs — "what's a sea-run cutthroat?"

So my question (if you're still reading) is do you think the sea-run cutties were in this tidal/river water? I looked over the surface many times and different times during the day and didn't see any obvious signs of fish surfacing to feed.

The takeaway? Wish I would have slung a couple streamer flies at the lower part of the river but didn't get a chance.

Maybe next time!
 
GungasUncle
GungasUncle
There should have been some cutts down low, because there's cutts further up the river. Might take some rain to get some more fish moving in (think like steelheadin') - but there should be fish lower in the system. How was the water temps? Could be the fish were just seeking cooler, better water?
 

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