What Is the Utah Cutthroat Slam?
By Tiafau Purcell
Some fishing trips are about catching more fish. Others are about discovering places you’ve never been.
The Utah Cutthroat Slam is a little bit of both. It challenges anglers to explore Utah’s native waters, learn about its four native cutthroat trout, and become part of a conservation story that’s still being written.
The Utah Cutthroat Slam: One of Utah’s Greatest Fishing Adventures
If you asked a hundred Utah anglers to name their favorite fishing memory, you’d probably hear a hundred different stories. For some, it’s catching their first trout. For others, it’s a sunrise over an alpine lake or a quiet afternoon on a favorite river.
The Utah Cutthroat Slam has a way of creating those kinds of memories. It’s not a race. It’s not a competition against other anglers. It’s simply an invitation to explore some of Utah’s most beautiful waters while learning about the trout that have called this state home for thousands of years.
What Is the Utah Cutthroat Slam?
The Utah Cutthroat Slam was created in 2016 through a partnership between the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and Utah Trout Unlimited.
The challenge is simple: Catch and release each of Utah’s four native cutthroat trout subspecies within their historic native range. Along the way, your registration helps fund native trout conservation and habitat restoration projects throughout Utah. Most of the registration fee goes directly toward conservation efforts. It’s one of the few fishing challenges where every participant helps leave the resource a little better than they found it.
Meet Utah’s Four Native Cutthroat Trout
Every native cutthroat has its own story—and its own part of Utah to call home.
Bonneville Cutthroat Trout (BCT)
Utah’s official state fish. Descended from trout that once swam in ancient Lake Bonneville, they’re native to much of northern, central, and western Utah. If you’ve read our article about the Bonneville Cutthroat, you already know they’re much more than another trout—they’re part of Utah’s history.
Explore waters with Bonneville Cutthroat Trout
Bear River Cutthroat Trout (BRCT)
Native to the Bear River drainage in northern Utah. Many anglers discover these beautiful fish while exploring streams and mountain waters they might never have visited otherwise.
Explore waters with Bear River Cutthroat Trout
Colorado River Cutthroat Trout (CRCT)
Found in waters connected to the Colorado River drainage in eastern and southeastern Utah. Pursuing this subspecies often means venturing into some of Utah’s most scenic backcountry.
Explore waters with Colorado River Cutthroat Trout
Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout (YCT)
Native to the Bear River headwaters and portions of northeastern Utah. For many anglers, this is the final piece of the Slam—and often the most memorable adventure. Each fish represents a different landscape, a different watershed, and another reason to explore somewhere new.
Explore waters with Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout
Take Your Time
Some anglers complete the Utah Cutthroat Slam in a single weekend. Others spend months—or even years—working toward it. Neither approach is better. The beauty of the challenge isn’t how quickly you finish. It’s the places you’ll visit and the experiences you’ll collect along the way. Every river, creek, and mountain stream has something to teach you if you’re willing to slow down and pay attention.
One of the things we appreciate most about the Utah Cutthroat Slam is that it encourages curiosity. It sends anglers to waters they might never have considered visiting. It introduces people to native fish they may have never caught before. And it reminds us that fishing is about far more than numbers. Sometimes the greatest reward is simply standing in a beautiful place, knowing you’re experiencing a small part of Utah’s natural heritage.
More Than a Fishing Challenge
The Utah Cutthroat Slam isn’t really about checking four fish off a list. It’s about slowing down enough to appreciate where those fish live. Every stream has its own personality. Every watershed has its own history. And every native cutthroat reminds us that healthy fisheries don’t happen by accident. They’re the result of decades of restoration, thoughtful management, and anglers who care about protecting the places they enjoy.
It is unique because every registration helps support the future of Utah’s native trout. Since the challenge began, thousands of anglers have participated and registration fees have funded habitat restoration, native trout research, and other conservation projects across the state.
Whether it takes you one season or ten, completing the Slam isn’t just an accomplishment—it’s a reminder that great fishing and good stewardship go hand in hand. At FishRec, we believe the best adventures leave you with more than a photo. They leave you with a deeper appreciation for the waters you explored, the fish you pursued, and the responsibility we all share in protecting them.
How FishRec Can Help
One of the most exciting parts of the Slam is discovering new places. FishRec helps make that exploration a little easier.
Within the app, you can:
Learn about each native cutthroat trout
Explore waters where each subspecies can be found
Discover nearby fishing opportunities
Learn more about Utah’s waters before your trip
Track your own fishing adventures
Follow your progress as you work toward completing the Slam
The goal isn’t simply to finish the challenge. It’s to enjoy every stop along the way. So if you’ve been looking for your next fishing adventure, this might be it. Start with one native trout. The rest of the journey will follow.