Cutthroat Trout in Idaho
Region bag lines and IDFG picks for cutthroat trout.
- 6 a daybag
- 3.08 pounds2026 record
Pick for cutthroat troutPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo of the fish, not an Idaho water: Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
Idaho Cutthroat Trout, the essentials
IDFG writes a cutthroat trout bag into 7 of the seven region tables. A sample, from the IDFG Panhandle Region: "Trout limit is 6, all species combined; Bull Trout and Brook Trout are listed separately".
Lake Pend Oreille, Bear Lake and American Falls Reservoir lead the 109 Idaho pages where the Planner recommends it. Scientific name in the Planner: Oncorhynchus clarkii.
For the cutthroat trout herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 Cutthroat Trout limits from every IDFG region block
| IDFG region | Line as printed |
|---|---|
| IDFG Panhandle Region | Trout limit is 6, all species combined; Bull Trout and Brook Trout are listed separately |
| IDFG Clearwater Region | In rivers and streams, trout limit is 2, all species combined; In lakes, reservoirs, ditches and canals, trout limit is 6, all species combined; Bull Trout and Brook Trout are listed separately |
| IDFG Southwest Region | Trout limit is 6, all species combined; Chinook Salmon and steelhead placed in ponds are counted in the trout bag limit; Bull Trout and Brook Trout are listed separately |
| IDFG Magic Valley Region | Trout limit is 6, all species combined; In rivers and streams, only 2 of the 6 trout may be Cutthroat Trout; Bull Trout and Brook Trout are listed separately |
| IDFG Southeast Region | Trout limit is 6, all species combined; In rivers and streams, only 2 of the 6 trout may be Cutthroat Trout; Brook Trout are listed separately |
| IDFG Upper Snake Region | Trout limit is 6, all species combined; Bull Trout and Brook Trout are listed separately |
| IDFG Salmon Region | Trout limit is 6, all species combined; Chinook Salmon and steelhead placed in ponds are counted in the trout bag limit; Bull Trout and Brook Trout are listed separately |
Region bag limits from Idaho Fishing Seasons and Rules, 2025-2027, as printed on IDFG Fishing Planner water pages (the brochure PDF on idfg.idaho.gov was unreachable during site maintenance), read November 7, 2026.
New Idaho Cutthroat Trout marks from 2026
| Listing | Mark | Category | Water | Caught | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout | 3.08 pounds | certified weight | Henrys Lake | not printed | IDFG news release (Jan 30, 2026) as distributed unaltered by Public Technologies (article), read November 8, 2026 |
| Westslope Cutthroat Trout | 27 inches | catch-and-release (length) | Lake Pend Oreille | February 1, 2026 | Outdoor Life (Mar 18, 2026), reporting IDFG certification (article), read November 8, 2026 |
Records announced by IDFG in 2026 as reported in the dated releases and articles linked in each row, read November 8, 2026; a partial list, since the full IDFG record lists at idfg.idaho.gov/fish/record could not be opened during the November 2026 site maintenance. Angler names are left off.
Idaho water IDFG recommends for cutthroat trout
Lakes the Planner suggests for cutthroat trout
- Lake Pend Oreille92,764 acres
- Bear Lake69,446 acres
- American Falls Reservoir55,291 acres
- Coeur d'Alene Lake27,911 acres
- Priest Lake23,335 acres
- Blackfoot Reservoir16,888 acres
- Dworshak Reservoir16,484 acres
- Palisades Reservoir15,949 acres
- Henrys Lake6,077 acres
- Payette Lake4,987 acres
- Deadwood Reservoir2,997 acres
- Spirit Lake1,535 acres
- Upper Priest Lake1,340 acres
- Chesterfield Reservoir1,246 acres
- Alexander Reservoir1,012 acres
- Alturas Lake836 acres
- Cocolalla Lake804 acres
- Oneida Narrows Reservoir421 acres
- Pettit Lake400 acres
- Bybee Reservoir236 acres
- Grasmere Reservoir224 acres
- Brundage Reservoir216 acres
- Yellow Belly Lake193 acres
- Granite Lake (Valley County)188 acres
Rivers the Planner suggests for cutthroat trout
- Blackfoot RiverBingham County
- Deadwood RiverBoise County
- North Fork Clearwater RiverClearwater County
- American RiverIdaho County
- Bear RiverBear Lake County
- Bear Valley CreekValley County
- Big Lost RiverButte County
- Breakfast CreekClearwater County
- Brushy Fork CreekIdaho County
- Cassia CreekCassia County
- Clark Fork RiverBonner County
- Clearwater RiverClearwater County
- Cocolalla CreekBonner County
- Crooked CreekIdaho County
- Crooked ForkClearwater County
- Crooked River (Idaho County)Idaho County
- Cub RiverFranklin County
- Diamond CreekCaribou County
IDFG Fishing Planner recommended game fish on each water page, read November 7, 2026; largest lakes and best-served rivers first.
Idaho rule blocks that cite cutthroat trout
- Bear RiverIDFG Southeast Region
- Blackfoot ReservoirIDFG Southeast Region
- Blackfoot RiverIDFG Southeast Region
- Clark Fork RiverIDFG Panhandle Region
- Clearwater RiverIDFG Clearwater Region
- Cocolalla CreekIDFG Panhandle Region
- Coeur d'Alene LakeIDFG Panhandle Region
- Cub RiverIDFG Southeast Region
- Deep Creek Reservoir (Oneida County)IDFG Southeast Region
- Diamond CreekIDFG Southeast Region
- Dworshak ReservoirIDFG Clearwater Region
- East Fork Salmon RiverIDFG Salmon Region
- Eightmile CreekIDFG Southeast Region
- Falls RiverIDFG Upper Snake Region
- Georgetown CreekIDFG Southeast Region
- Giraffe CreekIDFG Southeast Region
- Henrys Fork Snake RiverIDFG Upper Snake Region
- Henrys LakeIDFG Upper Snake Region
- Hoodoo CreekIDFG Panhandle Region
- Kootenai RiverIDFG Panhandle Region
Waters with rule blocks, A to Z
Rule blocks printed on IDFG Fishing Planner water pages (2025-2027), read November 7, 2026.
Idaho fish counted with cutthroat trout
- Arctic GraylingThymallus arcticus
- Brown TroutSalmo trutta
- CutbowOncorhynchus clarkii x O. mykiss
- Lake TroutSalvelinus namaycush
- Rainbow TroutOncorhynchus mykiss
- Redband TroutOncorhynchus mykiss gairdneri
- Tiger TroutSalmo trutta x Salvelinus fontinalis
Gem State water near Cutthroat Trout, on camera
Photo: Bureau of Reclamation, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Cecelia Alexander, CC0 1.0
Photo: Tamanoeconomico, CC BY-SA 4.0
.jpg){kind=link}
Photo: Intermountain Forest Service, USDA Region 4 Photography, Public domain
Before targeting cutthroat trout in Idaho
Can cutthroat trout be kept in Idaho?
By region; the IDFG Panhandle Region prints "Trout limit is 6, all species combined; Bull Trout and Brook Trout are listed separately".
Which water gave up a record cutthroat trout in 2026?
Yes; IDFG announced 3.08 pounds (certified weight) from Henrys Lake.
Where do cutthroat trout turn up in Idaho?
Try Lake Pend Oreille, Bear Lake and American Falls Reservoir; 109 pages list it.
Does IDFG stock cutthroat trout?
No hatchery row names it on these pages.
Where does the cutthroat trout rule change in Idaho?
Rule blocks on 55 pages mention it (Blackfoot Reservoir).
Does the Endangered Species Act cover cutthroat trout in Idaho?
No, it is not a listed fish.
Do visitors need a license for Idaho cutthroat trout?
Fishing here takes an Idaho fishing license; Idaho Code 36-416 sets the annual statutory fee at $28.75 for residents and $106.25 for nonresidents, and steelhead or salmon fishing takes its own permit.
Can a released cutthroat trout set an Idaho record?
IDFG keeps two lists: certified weight, on a certified scale, and catch-and-release, by total length of a fish released alive.
Choose a cutthroat trout water in Idaho
Each water above has launches and rules on its page.