How to identify your catch
Anglers are responsible for distinguishing one fish species from another. If you are unsure, please release it.
Black spots, light background
Cutthroat Trout
Zero possession limit: Banff, Kootenay, Yoho, Mount Revelstoke, Glacier, Waterton Lakes national parks
See possession limits: Jasper National Park
Spots more numerous towards tail. Red slash under lower jaw. Note: Red band may be present. Use red slash for proper identification. (BNP, JNP, KNP, YNP, WLNP, MRGNP)
© Karl Geist
Rainbow trout
Black spots from head to tail. Red band may be present on the sides. Note: Use lack of red slash under jaw for proper identification. (BNP, JNP, KNP, YNP, WLNP, MRGNP) © Karl Geist
Kokanee salmon
Zero possession limit: Kootenay National Park
Kokanee salmon, not spawning (KNP) © Karl Geist
Kokanee salmon, spawning. Females and males have red bodies during fall spawn with green or black heads. Silver bodies for the remainder of the year. (KNP) © Karl Geist
Brown trout
Square cut tail. Large spots on head. Dark spots with large halos. (BNP, WLNP) © Karl Geist
Arctic grayling
Very large and colourful dorsal fin. Black, diamond-shaped spots along sides. Large scales. (WLNP) © Karl Geist
No black spots on the body
Bull trout
Zero possession limit: all parks.
Tail slightly forked. No black spots. Pale yellow spots on back. Red or orange spots on side. White leading edge on lower fins with no black line. (BNP, JNP, KNP, YNP, WLNP, MRGNP)
© Karl Geist
Brook trout
Tail nearly square. Warm-like mottling on back and dorsal fin. Red spots with blue halos. White leading edge with a black line. (BNP, JNP, KNP, YNP, WLNP, MRGNP) © Karl Geist
Lake trout
Deeply forked tail. Worm-like mottling. White leading edge often present on fins. Irregular white spots, none red or orange. (BNP, JNP, KNP, YNP, WLNP) © Karl Geist
Others
Northern pike
Dorsal fin near tail. Large irregular spots in rows. Duck-like jaw. (JNP, WLNP) © Karl Geist
Mountain whitefish
Deeply forked tail. Large scales. Small mouth below pointed snout. (BNP, JNP, KNP, YNP, WLNP, MRGNP) © Karl Geist
Lake whitefish
Deeply forked tail. Small mouth below rounded snout. (BNP, JNP, WLNP) © Karl Geist