Fishing for Natives to Support Conservation

Many anglers might be hard pressed to name the native trout and char species in the western United States (Hint: there are more than 18 of them). Now the Western Native Trout Initiative, along with 12 participating states, is challenging adventurous anglers to catch them all… and support native fish conservation at the same time.

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The Western Native Trout Challenge invites anglers to help celebrate our Western legacy by catching native trout and char in each of the 12 participating Western states, at their own pace. By attempting to catch all 20 species throughout the Western states, participants can enjoy the adventure of a lifetime!

If the lure of the West is not on your bucket list now, once you learn about the beauty of the fish and the locations where you can participate, it will likely become one! 

Why do the Challenge?

It’s both fun and meaningful! Your participation helps to fund Western Native Trout Initiative  conservation efforts. For every $25 program registration fee, $23 goes toward helping to conserve these species.  In 2020, the first year of Western Native Trout Challenge, registration fees and donations supported Westslope Cutthroat Trout conservation by helping fund the Cottonwood Creek Fish Passage Barrier Project for Native Trout Security in Montana.