Knowing where to fish for sea-run cutthroat on the beach, as well as what gear and tackle you need to bring with you, will give you a greater chance at success.

I am constantly asked what would possess me to spend countless hours wading to my waist in cold water to try and catch a relatively small fish. My reply is actually quick and simple: If you need to ask why, then you probably wouldn’t understand anyway and this fishery is definitely not for you. For those of us that regularly pursue sea-run cutthroat along coastal beaches, we get a thrill from a fishery that is second to none for any size fish. This is the only fishery I can think of that makes an angler grateful for landing a 12-inch fish. It’s not just another small trout to us. It’s a fish that deserves the utmost respect for living in such an unforgiving environment.

With seals, herons, ospreys and eagles a constant threat to sea-run cutthroat, it’s nothing short of a miracle that these precious fish still exist. Aside from all the dangers that Mother Nature throws at sea-run cutthroat, the main threat to this fish is urban development. What seams like a small, uninhabited creek ready to be built on may actually be home to juvenile trout and salmon. Over the years, developers have been forced to be a lot more careful when building around creeks and streams in the Lower Mainland. Many schools have also adopted small creeks that they clean and maintain to get them back to levels where fish can once again thrive. Their efforts have paid off as cutthroat are once again thriving along the coastal beaches of BC.  

To read the full story, pick up the September/October issue of BC Outdoors Sport Fishing at your local newsstand.