DISCOVERING A “NEW” REDBAND SUBSPECIES

FOR DECADES, FLY FISHERS THOUGHT BIG WOOD TROUT DESCENDED FROM HATCHERY STOCK BUT THEY ARE IN FACT UNIQUE NATIVE REDBANDS

MATTHEW L. MILLER

LOCAL ANGLERS HAVE LONG VALUED THE BIG WOOD’S WILD TROUT, BUT NEW EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THEY’RE EVEN MORE SPECIAL: THEY LIKELY REPRESENT A UNIQUE LINEAGE OF NATIVE REDBANDS. The Big Wood River flows through 137 miles of south-central Idaho, originating in the stunning Sawtooth Mountains and flowing through the resort towns of Ketchum, Sun Valley, and Bellevue. A Western freestone river, it offers excellent dry-fly fishing for rainbows. The headwaters offer classic small stream habitat, with many eager fish willing to hit attractors. The main stem offers excellent opportunities to match the hatch, especially in the summer and fall. The entire watershed has excellent public access, even when it flows through resort neighborhoods in Ketchum and Hailey. For many anglers, a couple of days on the Big Wood can save a trip after…

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Fly Fisherman (Digital) - 1 Issue, October/November/December 2023

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