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Lake: Heart Lake - JPWA
Fish: Cutthroat Trout

Greenback I think

Post By: Greencore      Posted: 6/1/2013 6:42:44 PM     Points: 165    
Hi every one. I just signed up to skipper Heart Lake, as it is one of my favorite backpacking and cutthroat destinations. I just want to make sure I have my facts straight. I believe the lake holds Greenbacks, can you all check my photos and let me know if I'm right.
 Reply by: JPG      Posted: 6/1/2013 6:44:27 PM     Points: 84
Dirty Greenback..
 Reply by: Eklectik      Posted: 6/1/2013 8:31:40 PM     Points: 30
How was the trail up there? I tried hiking up the Forest Lakes trail last weekend and there was still quite a bit of snow up that way.
 Reply by: Greencore      Posted: 6/1/2013 11:43:34 PM     Points: 165
Sorry not a new photo it's from last year. I haven't been up yet this year. When I do go I'll be hiking in over Rogers Pass from Winter Park.
 Reply by: Luke the Dog      Posted: 6/2/2013 8:11:37 PM     Points: 37
If you're gonna let it go, try not to drag it through the dirt first, fish handled like that are very likely to die...
 Reply by: Greencore      Posted: 6/10/2013 12:11:24 AM     Points: 165
Good advice, had not heard that before but understandable with the protective coating on their skin. Always difficult to get that good photo when fishing alone.
 Reply by: alanlf5280      Posted: 6/10/2013 8:18:05 AM     Points: 461
Sure looks like a spawning Greenback to me. Either way, beautiful fish and a good sized one at that.
 Reply by: fishingfreak      Posted: 6/10/2013 8:33:51 AM     Points: 2755
I've always thought those were native Red Cutthroats, I've caught them before when they were all red in color, guess I was wrong
 Reply by: shiverfix      Posted: 6/10/2013 8:53:41 AM     Points: 3900
Hatchery Greenbacks are stocked in many of the alpine lakes of the Indian Peaks by airplane. I have spoken with Paul Winkle of the CPW about this in the past. While they are the same as the native greenbacks they are not part of the recovery program since they are hatchery raised and not part of the original populations.
 Reply by: bigbear57      Posted: 6/10/2013 11:50:18 PM     Points: 1527
looks like a Colorado river cutt. Do to the spotting on the body and the red markings, but it is hard to tell from lake to lake the coloration may change. The greenbacks I have caught have had reduced spotting as you go from the tail to the head with almost no spots for about three inches behind the gill plate.
 Reply by: FisherMark      Posted: 6/17/2013 2:39:40 PM     Points: 10
If interested in Colorado Native Trout, check out some recent information/articles from TU on the subject. It looks very likely that none of us have caught a true Greenback. Interesting stuff out there. It is for sure not a Yellowfin Cutthroat.
 Reply by: Swigs      Posted: 6/17/2013 4:23:05 PM     Points: 169
It is a "native cutthroat trout".....greenback in appearance but it's genetic mix of pure greenback and Colorado River cutthroat. Roughly 3,000 native cutthroat are stocked via a cessa even numbered years in Heart. I surveyed it last year but have not had time to post the results.

[log in for link]
 Reply by: NativeCuttie      Posted: 6/18/2013 7:46:27 AM     Points: 395
That's pretty cool..looks a few years outdated though. Any studies like this of recent? Ice off info on any of these areas? I'm itchin to get up somewhere soon.
 Reply by: Greencore      Posted: 6/18/2013 3:10:43 PM     Points: 165
Great report! Thank you for posting it.
 Reply by: pikeNcolorado      Posted: 6/18/2013 3:14:35 PM     Points: 17861
Native,
Swigs said he did a survey on it last year, but hasn't had time to post it. So there is new info, we just all have to wait to get it.
 Reply by: NativeCuttie      Posted: 6/18/2013 3:52:00 PM     Points: 395
Duh I missed that comment..I'll be waiting for the new results :)
 Reply by: Swigs      Posted: 6/18/2013 4:19:38 PM     Points: 169
Well, here are the results in a nutshell. We set 1 gillnet in Heart and the other in Rogers Peak, camped at Rogers Peak. Heart is a little more exposed than Rogers if you are camping. I would have liked to set 2 nets in Heart but 50lbs of gear is about all I can handle, Anyhow, Heart Lake (18hours netting) found 17 native cutts, average size was 12.6", range 5.7-17.0", weight range 0.1-1.9lbs. Rogers Peak Lake, caught 10 in the net, average was 9.1", range 6.0-11.3". Also saw a dead elk near the outlet of Rogers, must have got stuck in the ice and drown but its carcus was still there. You can count on a daily shower. I check the high mountain lakes when possible to ensure I'm not sending a pilot to a location where brook trout would gobble up any cutts, the flights can be pretty dangerous. Based on the information I have the trail to heart is still drifted in.
 Reply by: CoTroutSlayer      Posted: 6/18/2013 5:18:15 PM     Points: 80
Swigs-

Thanks for sharing the info! Would you mind if I contact you by the email that is on your survey? I would like to pick your brain on a few things...
 Reply by: Swigs      Posted: 6/18/2013 8:04:43 PM     Points: 169
So far I have been able to manage the extra emails, not a problem.

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