Westslope Cutthroat Trout

On June 13, 1805, Private Silas Goodrich caught several cutthroat trout at the Great Falls of the Missouri River, providing the first scientific description of this species by any Anglo-American. Lewis described the trout in detail, noting their black specks (different from the red or gold of eastern brook trout) and the distinctive red slash marks under the jaw. The species was later named Salmo clarkii in honor of William Clark by naturalist John Richardson in 1836.

Journal Excerpt

Lewis, June 13, 1805: "Goodrich had caught half a dozen very fine trout… these trout are from sixteen to twenty three inches in length, precisely resemble our mountain or speckled trout in form and the position of their fins, but the specks on these are of a deep black instead of the red or goald colour of those common to the U' States. these are furnished long sharp teeth on the pallet and tongue and have generally a small dash of red on each side behind the front ventral fins."