Utah Cutthroat Slam Funds Five Conservation Projects for 2026

The angler-funded fishing challenge has generated more than $130,000 for native trout restoration since its 2016 launch, with 95 percent of every registration fee going directly to on-the-ground work. Image by Steve Dally

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and Utah Trout Unlimited announced on February 19 the selection of five new native trout projects to receive funding from the Utah Cutthroat Slam, a popular catch-and-release challenge that asks anglers to land all four of the state’s native cutthroat trout subspecies—Bonneville, Colorado River, Bear Lake and Yellowstone—in their native ranges. Each project will receive roughly $5,000.

Launched in April 2016, the Slam charges a one-time $20 registration fee. About $19 of that goes straight to conservation. The program has enrolled 5,885 anglers to date and raised more than $130,660 for cutthroat trout restoration and outreach across Utah. Of those registrants, 2,110 have completed the four-fish challenge.

The 2026 Projects

The five funded projects span habitat restoration, scientific monitoring and public education:

Sevier River watershed eDNA sampling. Biologists will use environmental DNA analysis on Fish and Clear creeks to locate the source of invasive trout in the middle Sevier River watershed. Pinpointing where non-native fish are entering the system improves the odds of future cutthroat restoration in the drainage.

Clear Creek beaver relocations. Beavers that have been damaging river habitat and backing up water near bridges and roads in lower Clear Creek will be trapped and moved to the headwaters, where forage is abundant. In the upper drainage, beaver activity can raise water tables, reconnect floodplains and improve corridor habitat for cutthroat trout.

Silver Creek aquatic sampling. Researchers will survey aquatic insect populations in Silver Creek before and after the removal of mine tailings in the area. The presence of young aquatic insects serves as an indicator of stream health, and the data will help determine whether the creek can support additional aquatic life once the cleanup is complete.

North Eden Creek fish trap operations. A recently completed fish-passage project on North Eden Creek has opened a new spawning tributary for Bear Lake cutthroat trout. Funding will support a Utah Trout Unlimited intern to run the trap daily, tracking fish migration and spawning use of the new passage. The project also includes planting wetland-friendly vegetation and building additional restoration structures near the creek.

Bear River cutthroat signage. New signs in the Bear River drainage will educate visitors about Bear River cutthroat trout and ongoing restoration work in the watershed.

Three Decades of Progress

“In the last 30 years, we have increased the range of each of our native cutthroat trout subspecies, and we’re working to stabilize the species throughout the state into the future,” DWR Sportfish Coordinator Trina Hedrick said in a press release. Hedrick urged anglers to register for the Slam, noting that their fees fund both conservation work and expanded angling opportunities for cutthroat trout statewide.

Utah Trout Unlimited Director Jordan Nielson called the Slam a testament to the partnership between the two organizations. The program continues to grow, he said, generating funding that directly benefits native cutthroat and promotes both fishing and conservation.

Anglers who complete the Slam receive a certificate and can choose one of four commemorative medallions, each depicting a different cutthroat subspecies. Registration never expires—participants can take a lifetime to finish the challenge.

The Utah Cutthroat Slam booth will be at the Wasatch Fly Tying and Fly Fishing Expo on April 10–11 at the Mountain America Expo Center in Sandy. Anglers can register at utahcutthroatslam.org.

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Source: Fish2