06-23-2008, 06:27 PM
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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Bull Trout Facts
(Salve linus confluentus) Bull trout,
resident (stream) type
What is a bull trout?
Bull trout are members of the char subgroup of the salmon family, which also includes the Dolly Varden, lake trout, and Arctic char. They can grow to more than 20 pounds (9 kg) in lake environments. Bull trout that live in streams rarely exceed 4 pounds (2 kg). Bull trout and Dolly Varden look very similar, and were once considered the same species. Both have small, pale yellow to crimson spots on a darker background, which ranges from olive green to brown above, fading to white on the belly. Spawning adults develop varying amounts of red on the belly. Both species also exhibit differences in size, body characteristics, coloration, and life history behavior across their range.
Taxonomic work, published in 1978 and accepted by the American Fisheries Society in 1980, identified bull trout as distinct from the Dolly Varden. Compared to Dolly Varden, bull trout are larger on average, with a relatively longer and broader head. Bull trout are mainly an inland species, while Dolly Varden are more common in coastal areas. In Washington, both species are present in the Puget Sound area.
How are char different from other salmonids?
Char (genus Salvelinus) are distinguished from trout and salmon by the absence of teeth in the roof of the mouth, presence of light colored spots on a dark background (trout and salmon have dark spots on a lighter background), absence of spots on the dorsal fin, small scales, and differences in the structure of their skeleton. Char are distributed farther north than any other group of freshwater fish except Alaskan blackfish, and are well adapted for life in very cold water.
What was the historic range of bull trout?
Historically bull trout occurred throughout the Columbia River Basin, east to western Montana, south to the Jarbidge River in northern Nevada, the Klamath Basin in Oregon, the McCloud River in California and north to Alberta, British Columbia, and possibly southeastern Alaska. Today bull trout are found primarily in upper tributary streams and several lake and reservoir systems; they have been eliminated from the main stems of most large rivers. The main populations remaining in the lower 48 states are in Montana, Idaho, Oregon and Washington with a small population in northern Nevada. Bull trout are now extinct in northern California. Bull trout evolved with whitefish, sculpins and other trout and use all of them as food sources.
What is the life cycle of a bull trout? Bull trout reach sexual maturity at between four and seven years of age and are known to live as long as 12 years. They spawn in the fall after temperatures drop below 48ยบ in streams with cold, unpolluted water, clean gravel and cobble substrate, and gentle stream slopes. Many spawning areas are associated with cold water springs or areas where stream flow is influenced by groundwater. Bull trout eggs require a long incubation period compared to other salmon and trout (4-5 months), hatching in late winter or early spring. [/size][/#008000][/font]
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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Bull Trout Facts
(Salve linus confluentus) Bull trout,
resident (stream) type
What is a bull trout?
Bull trout are members of the char subgroup of the salmon family, which also includes the Dolly Varden, lake trout, and Arctic char. They can grow to more than 20 pounds (9 kg) in lake environments. Bull trout that live in streams rarely exceed 4 pounds (2 kg). Bull trout and Dolly Varden look very similar, and were once considered the same species. Both have small, pale yellow to crimson spots on a darker background, which ranges from olive green to brown above, fading to white on the belly. Spawning adults develop varying amounts of red on the belly. Both species also exhibit differences in size, body characteristics, coloration, and life history behavior across their range.
Taxonomic work, published in 1978 and accepted by the American Fisheries Society in 1980, identified bull trout as distinct from the Dolly Varden. Compared to Dolly Varden, bull trout are larger on average, with a relatively longer and broader head. Bull trout are mainly an inland species, while Dolly Varden are more common in coastal areas. In Washington, both species are present in the Puget Sound area.
How are char different from other salmonids?
Char (genus Salvelinus) are distinguished from trout and salmon by the absence of teeth in the roof of the mouth, presence of light colored spots on a dark background (trout and salmon have dark spots on a lighter background), absence of spots on the dorsal fin, small scales, and differences in the structure of their skeleton. Char are distributed farther north than any other group of freshwater fish except Alaskan blackfish, and are well adapted for life in very cold water.
What was the historic range of bull trout?
Historically bull trout occurred throughout the Columbia River Basin, east to western Montana, south to the Jarbidge River in northern Nevada, the Klamath Basin in Oregon, the McCloud River in California and north to Alberta, British Columbia, and possibly southeastern Alaska. Today bull trout are found primarily in upper tributary streams and several lake and reservoir systems; they have been eliminated from the main stems of most large rivers. The main populations remaining in the lower 48 states are in Montana, Idaho, Oregon and Washington with a small population in northern Nevada. Bull trout are now extinct in northern California. Bull trout evolved with whitefish, sculpins and other trout and use all of them as food sources.
What is the life cycle of a bull trout? Bull trout reach sexual maturity at between four and seven years of age and are known to live as long as 12 years. They spawn in the fall after temperatures drop below 48ยบ in streams with cold, unpolluted water, clean gravel and cobble substrate, and gentle stream slopes. Many spawning areas are associated with cold water springs or areas where stream flow is influenced by groundwater. Bull trout eggs require a long incubation period compared to other salmon and trout (4-5 months), hatching in late winter or early spring. [/size][/#008000][/font]
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