SRC months
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The best months in salt are September, October, November in my book. March and April can be very good as well. If I was limited to only 1 month of the year, I would pick October.
March is the primary spawning month for sea-run cutthroat though spawning can occur any time from February through June. The amount of time spent in fresh water taking care of this varies considerably. In the small rivers and streams of Hood Canal cutthroat commonly enter as late as November and December and return to salt water almost as soon as they have spawned. In larger rivers they may enter much earlier and remain much longer; my father fished the Cowlitz for many years before the construction of Tacoma City Light's dams, and always said that the first runs of "harvest trout" would be in the river by the Fourth of July. The Stillaguamish usually has fishable numbers by mid-August and many of the larger Puget Sound rivers have similar timetables. On the other hand, I've caught bright, fresh-run cutthroat in the Stillaguamish as late as February. Cutthroat seem to exhibit a wider variety of life histories than any other andromous salmonid (with the possible exception of bull trout).
Obviously, when the fish are up the rivers spawning, they won't be available in the salt but there actually seem to be some late spawners or fish who return quickly to salt water after spawning and I suspect thai it is possible to catch a cutthroat somewhere in salt water in any month of the year. Of course, it's a game of numbers and your chances are best in the summer and fall and worst in the winter and early spring.
Obviously, when the fish are up the rivers spawning, they won't be available in the salt but there actually seem to be some late spawners or fish who return quickly to salt water after spawning and I suspect thai it is possible to catch a cutthroat somewhere in salt water in any month of the year. Of course, it's a game of numbers and your chances are best in the summer and fall and worst in the winter and early spring.
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You are close. It can depend on if you are talking about the South Sound, North Sound or Hood Canal. Larger cutthroat spawning in the big North Sound Rivers are not available now and won't be until they follow the salmon fry out into the saltwater around April (some smaller cutts are always around though). In the South Sound and Hood Canal the cutthroat spawn in very small creeks and streams and are never far from the saltwater. Therefore, cutthroat are are generally available year round in the South Sound and Hood Canal, but not so much in the North Sound. My summary for the best 4 months would be:
South Sound/Hood Canal: March, April, August, September, October, November
North Sound: April, August, September, October
Like other folks have mentioned, you can catch them every month of the year (especially in the South Sound/Hood Canal). Some people get cranky when guys are catching them during the post-spawning period (spring), because some of the fish are in a weakened condition. If I could only fish for them one day out of the year it would be a crisp clear day in early October with falling leaves and crystal clear saltwater.
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Oh gripes! I was just trying to get you out of the Winter doldrums!!! October man! October!
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