Catching a SUPER RARE TROUT?? (Threatened Species Pt 1) || THE COLORADO SERIES

THE COLORADO SERIES Day 4 takes us to a high elevation lake in search of the threatened species known as the Greenback Cutthroat Trout. It is the State fish of Colorado.
Matt's Instagram: / freakeditonthefly
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The Greenback Cutthroat was declared extinct in 1937 and later found in one small stream known as Bear Creek in Colorado. The species was put on life support as the Colorado Park and Wildlife attempted to bring the species back to life. After years of work from both the CWP and other volunteers (such as Trout Unlimited) the Greenback Cutthroat can now be caught in various locations across Colorado. We were able to find one of those locations thanks to my buddy Matt Sandor and had quite a bit of luck. The species is still listed as Threatened on the endangered species act and due to the delicate nature of these fish I have kept the location private. If you have any serious inquiries my DM's are open on the Instagram linked to the KZbin channel.
Please like, comment, and subscribe! Thanks for the support!

[@flyfishincrazy]

My son, my dad and I went out to CO in 99 to fish for Greenback cutthroat in the Sawatch area. Was incredible. Even saw a wolf. Great video that brought back great memories.

[@hardmanfishing]

Thank you!! I'm so glad you enjoyed the video.

[@estebencampos146]

Wolves have been gone since the 40’s. It was probably a coyote

[@flyfishincrazy]

@@estebencampos146 may have been

[@allosaurus5771]

my balls hurt

[@mountaingoatgreg1691]

That water looks sooo clear. A sight fishing dream as long as the wind stays down. Casting to rising trout is always a blast!

[@hardmanfishing]

Yep it doesn't get much better! Fishing these high elevation lakes is just on another level of fun. Thanks for watching Greg!

[@christopherbrooks8561]

Support Trouts Unlimited! They are a big Labor & money resource for these exact initiatives.

[@hardmanfishing]

You're preaching to the choir! I am a part of Trout Unlimited back home. I know how much work goes into trout on the east coast and I can only imagine what its like in Colorado.

[@michaelsmith7193]

Wow, what amazing fish and beautiful habitat! Delighted you guys are having such a great adventure - and happier still that you’re sharing it with us!

[@hardmanfishing]

Thank you so much for watching! I'm glad you enjoyed our adventure.

[@tightliningmd]

I like the history in the background man. Glad this video is doing so well for you man. Well deserved my guys. So awesome to see you thriving out West. Great job making a real treat. Awesome to see the versatility. I can't wait to get to the point where I can travel west and fish. Very excited for the opportunity. Keep going gentlemen and tight lines!

[@hardmanfishing]

Thanks Mike! Fishing out west is such a blast but it is completely different than what we are used too. I hope you get out there one day and have just as successful of a trip as we did!

[@chinooks_]

I recommend wetting your hands more than you do in that vid, like a full hand dunk, trout have very sensitive skin and if its a threatened species and ur gonna release it after, make sure ur hand is completely dipped and wet before handling it

[@kayleydorey6798]

agreed

[@guyswithflies2034]

use the net! shouldn’t be bouncing fish off rocks either.

[@AnotherFishingAdventure]

Gorgeous river and fish! That is an amazing adventure. Video editing is on point😎

[@hardmanfishing]

Thank you so much!! Glad you enjoyed the adventure

[@TruthAboutHeaven]

Great video, guys. Thanks for sharing your experience with us. Precious lifetime memories!

[@andymason703]

Beautiful fish guys! Love you're show. Its real and genuine. Keep up the good work.

[@hardmanfishing]

Thank you so much!!

[@robleary3353]

Trout fishing by fly is always a special thing to do. The preperation, the enticement to take your fly, that anticipation when you land the perfect cast in front of the fish your going for and then having caught it, not having the heart to keep it and return it. Nice vid guys. Maddog Melbourne Australia

[@waikarimoana]

Great video and thanks for showing us your part of the world, thumbs up and greetings from New Zealand.

[@hardmanfishing]

I'm glad you enjoyed the video! Hopefully I can make it out to New Zealand one day. Thanks for watching!

[@bellabear653]

@@hardmanfishing while you are in that part of the world go fish Tasmania in Australia for some large browns as well. N.Z has great fishing and Tasmania is great for fly fishing for browns.

[@benstiles5765]

Amazing video guys, super excited for you guys to get a chance to fish for such a rare and special trout nevermind to catch them in native habitat , that's so cool. Amazing amazing fish ty so much for sharing this video . Can't wait to see what you got coming up next. Thanks again guys

[@hardmanfishing]

I'm glad you liked the video! It was so fun to make the video and I'm just glad I can share it with you guys!

[@daviddurham3052]

Awesome guys! Congratulations on an amazing adventure.

[@hardmanfishing]

Thank you!! Glad you thought it was awesome!!

[@kevinkeller6898]

Great video. THANKS for handling and releasing these spectacular fish so carefully and quickly, and for using good nets. You are great examples!

[@hardmanfishing]

Thank you! The fish are the number one priority in the videos. Thanks for watching!

[@michaelhill56]

How many times did you bounce that first one off the rocks? Disgusting... just unsubscribed. Really disappointed with you guys, purposefully fishing for an endangered species and now more people are gonna want to do the same. Not cool guys 😡

[@williamkaylor1191]

Agreed. Harrumph!

[@shaynecompton1602]

Beautiful fish and video, it looked like so much fun! Thank you!

[@hardmanfishing]

I'm glad you enjoyed the video! Thanks for watching!

[@davidatkins6919]

So glad to see everyone successful and catch those greenback cutthroat trout, all I can say is WOW!

[@nativesflyfishing8779]

Awesome video. So happy you got to meet up with our boy Matt. He is the Colorado cutthroat king lol. Great job, we appreciate your work as always. Love the net shots !

[@hardmanfishing]

Thank you so much! Matt definitely knows where to find the cutthroat and the nets looked awesome out there on the mountain! Thanks for watching guys

[@troutowl]

One of the coolest fishing videos I’ve watched, and the trout are so beautiful! Congrats what a day!

[@danielhornick7684]

These guys are by far the best I've seen, I've been fishing for wild trout for 30yrs in wv n va I've never seen anything quite like they do

[@vjaldere2]

Awesome guys. You guys are living the dream. If you guys are ever in NC and filming let me know, got some sick hike in spots

[@hardmanfishing]

We will for sure!! Thanks for watching the video!

[@jarrettlandreth285]

Those are some beautiful trout in some beautiful country, Rocky Mountain alpine lake and stream fly fishing is so surreal, do it once and you’re hooked for life! Makes me miss Colorado man

[@hardmanfishing]

I'm definitely hooked man! It was such an amazing experience and I can't wait to do it again. Thanks for watching!

[@franklinfocus]

Badass! Such a beautiful fish!!!

[@hardmanfishing]

Thank you so much!

[@caseymcclure9683]

One of the best videos I've seen. Been having a rough day today and seeing this put the first smile of the day on my face. Thank you and I'm glad you guys had a wonderful time! Greenback Cutthroat are jewels!

[@hardmanfishing]

Thank you so much! I'm glad you video could help you get through a rough day. I hope all is well. Greenback cutthroat are amazing and officially one of my favorite fish to catch!

[@sergecouvrette9400]

Great vidéo guys.

[@FirstCastMedia]

Awesome as always bud! Looks like SUCH a fun trip I would LOVE to do that someday!

[@hardmanfishing]

It was a fun trip!! Thank you so much for watching!

[@altonwilliams7117]

Nice!👍 They are scrappy little fighters. We saw cutthroat trout whipping up on a big rainbow trout and running it out of their little territory.

[@OpportunityFishing]

Heck yeah! Looks like you guys did it right. Greenback are probably the prettiest cutthroat, but the Colorado River and Snake River Cutts are much larger on average in my experience. Great video looking forward to the next one.

[@hardmanfishing]

We caught some Colorado River Cutthroat... but they're not out until next week. But thanks for watching and I'm glad you enjoyed the video!

[@hydraxc2478]

I've caught only Bear Lake and Bonneville Cutthroat. The Bear Lake cutthroat were all quite large. Maybe 2 to 6 pounds on average. Never caught a small one. Bonneville Cutthroat were much smaller.

[@hardmanfishing]

@@rudyb5553 Lohantons are the enormous cutthroat! They're definitely on my bucket list.

[@vonster22]

The largest and wildest trout that I have caught since living and rafting the Rockies is the Big Horn River...But its all good....

[@outasightgear]

Really great fishing video!! Superb!!

[@MrMannymoe32]

Great video guys really enjoyed it...

[@hardmanfishing]

Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed the video

[@Osnyfishingadventures]

Man that looks insane up there!!! So wish there were more mountains in my part of pa! Hahaha crazy how there is almost no trees over there on them mountaintops in Colorado and Yellowstone! Keep the great video coming! Them greenback Cutties look like so much fun! Maybe one day can make it over there, tight lines and look forward to the next one!!!👍🎣🐟💦

[@hardmanfishing]

Dude its a blast out west! Thanks for watching man, I'm sure you'll make it out there one day.

[@avshockey6633]

There are no trees above about 11,500 ft. in Colorado. Conditions are just too harsh for trees to grow up there. The most common term you will hear about it is the "timberline." You can actually look at higher peaks and see a defined line where the trees stop growing. We have 58 mountains in Colorado that are 14,000 ft. or higher, and a few of them you can even drive all the way to the top. Here's a video of a guy driving to the top of Mt. Evans. He passes the timberline right around the 4:30 mark. It goes pretty abruptly from trees, to no trees. It's the highest paved road in the US, and the fun part about it is that there are no guard rails. kzbin.info/www/bejne/nX6apGOZmt6Yo7c

[@yuliiavolodicheva2446]

Thank you for nice video, wonderful nature, that you release this beautiful fish and for very good music.

[@chitknapyt4522]

Wow! Great content my guy I love your vids

[@antoniomora1255]

You said you were un Heaven and indeed you were!! You accomplished your mission of finding and gazing that beautiful and rare variety of cutthroat in a pristine scenery where they are native. A sunny day, the unbeatable landscape of the mountains of North America with that brutal untamed beauty...oh man what a fishing trip recorded in such a marvellous video!!! Pure bliss and looking forward to finding another hiding gorgeous creek with its own subespecies of beautiful trout. Wow...

[@hardmanfishing]

I'm glad you enjoyed the video! Thank you so much for watching

[@lauragrimany3515]

Cuttrout are the treasure of the rockies. I love them

[@lukewilson3271]

GREAT VID!!! and great looking fish!

[@hardmanfishing]

Thank you!!!

[@alecrutt476]

I fished for the elusive green back cutty in the Colorado Rocky Mountain national park. Hiked quite far to a lake. It was amazing fish almost every other cast and was most definitely the most beautiful fish I did and will ever lay my hands on. Super glad that you guys got to experience this same experience and excitement. Great video as always hardmen. Keep it up 🤘🏻tight lines!

[@hardmanfishing]

Thanks man!! Glad you got to experience some greenbacks as well. Such beautiful fish. Glad you liked the video and thanks for watching!

[@efmfishing4944]

Dope Intro!!

[@hardmanfishing]

Thanks man!

[@k9s4conservation65]

Beautiful fish! I caught a few in a different (secret) location in August! They have SUCH a cool story/history and it is so great to be able to catch them in their native habitat now!

[@hardmanfishing]

I know! Thanks to the volunteers and the CWP for saving these beauties. Everybody should get to experience the places these little guys take you! Thanks for watching

[@silvertipgaming2841]

Loved ur start

[@hardmanfishing]

Thank you!

[@WIZERD51]

Great Video. Those are some pretty trout.

[@hardmanfishing]

Thank you! Glad you liked the video!

[@hepic1443]

Nice Work for nature

[@hectorcoria3650]

Really cool stuff guys.

[@hardmanfishing]

Thank you!

[@EM-ig7ib]

Very very nice!....Once declared EXTINCT!...What a treasure...What a video...Nice Job!!

[@hardmanfishing]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed the video!

[@ianwhitehead3086]

Gorgeous trout!

[@gladysman24133]

Nothing like fly fishing! And that’s incredible guys,beautiful trout and I’m sitting here in envy,wishing I was there, way too go guys,enjoy!👍 and don’t know how anyone could give this a thumbs down? Probably just people who wish they could be there?

[@volcom514]

Added to the list! 🤙🏼

[@danpearce4547]

Great video, really need to get back into trout fishing seeing as I'm living near the Test, Itchen etc. English chalk streams (as if I could afford it)! Cheers.

[@hardmanfishing]

Thank you!! Glad you enjoyed the video. Hope you can get out there and catch some!! Tight lines

[@flytying2873]

I helped stock these at Herman Gulch 5 years ago-amazing video!

[@joeg5414]

Nice! I live near Durango. Fly fisherman's paradise really 😀 I have quite the list of some pretty amazing spots within an hour of me.

[@connor4778]

Great music choices!

[@lanekuchinsky7908]

Fall trout bite is on!

[@hardmanfishing]

We love it!!

[@kevindubartell4442]

Great video! I was fortunate enough to catch my first Colorado greenback cutthroat today.

[@MrAdrenaline00]

Crazy. The guy Matt is on my softball team. I knew I recognized him.

[@hardmanfishing]

Heck yeah! Matt is an awesome dude!

[@jeffreylea2319]

Awesome trip report and as usual great shooting. BTW the Greenback Cutthroat weren't TOO bad either. LOL

[@hardmanfishing]

LOL Glad the greenbacks were acceptable! HAHA thanks for watching!

[@medtech1a]

Great video. What a beautiful country side just to fish with friends, way up high in the mountains.

[@hardmanfishing]

It was an amazing day with good scenery and even better friends! Thank you so much for watching.

[@chaz33xxx]

I’ve never been out west…looks beautiful…thanks

[@kellykinsey2224]

We have a lot of cuts in Montana on the Boulder river

[@HutchinsonKansasFirefighter179]

I might know where some of this is. Where were you fishing at? Great job on the video

[@ericw3229]

I was in Rock Mountain National park in 2001. There were lakes and streams with Greenback Cutts then I wasn' t able to fish them unfortunately. I only gmhad an afternoon to fish there. It is a great story of recovery.

[@WildBlueDiscovery]

Some nice greenbacks! Congratulations

[@hardmanfishing]

Thank you!

[@outdoorsbros7444]

Good for you guys that’s awsome

[@hardmanfishing]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@pashootist5354]

Float tubing the lakes for the Greenback is a lot of fun.

[@hardmanfishing]

Yeah we didn’t get to do that but I bet it would’ve been a blast! Only issue is climbing up the mountain with the float tube 😂

[@Thefishingplumber]

Nice fish! I've always been more inclined to saltwater its an hour trip for me but i try freshwater more.

[@hardmanfishing]

I love saltwater about as much as freshwater. I guess it depends on where you are. But freshwater fishing can be unreal just because of the places the fish take you.

[@krainapstragailipienia9685]

Well done.

[@MrDrys]

Fishing is so fun

[@hardmanfishing]

I couldn't agree more!! Thanks for watching

[@gioelelapo7588]

From Italy i can Only sai great job as Always

[@hardmanfishing]

Thanks!! Glad you liked it

[@richyoung4051]

"were high"... lmfaooo

[@riverrightoutdoors]

Great looking cutties and vid👍

[@hardmanfishing]

Thank you!

[@Frenchylikeshikes]

I do not fish, but I clicked on this video just for the landscape from the thumbnail. Beautiful !

[@TreyTheFisherman]

Awesome intro very interesting info!

[@hardmanfishing]

Thank you!!

[@notyouravaragesavage9172]

Sure are some amazing fish guys love the history and awareness you spread with this video i am a avid trout bandit and love smashing hog browns and rainbows in the Adirondacks there are some sweet brook trout here as well... Awesome fish tho epic bucket lister Bro

[@kennethgallegos4590]

Nice video, keep it up!

[@hardmanfishing]

Thank you so much!!

[@lordpeterjohn1]

Great video! Did you guys carry bear spray or other form of grizzly deterrent while in Colorado?

[@hardmanfishing]

I mean we carried protection but Grizzly bears have been considered extirpated from Colorado. Not saying its impossible but highly unlikely!

[@bigdaddyfisheries3923]

Can’t believe you only have 18k subs like dude. You should have so many more man!

[@hardmanfishing]

Thank you! We're a relatively new channel... maybe one day we'll have quite a few more subs! Thanks for watching

[@drewbaumann8026]

Just subbed! Love the vids man!

[@hardmanfishing]

Thank you so much for the sub!! And glad you liked the video!

[@mikerichards1096]

Beautiful location. You guys are the real deal. Great to see you handle the fish and release them gently!!!

[@skv23]

What a beautiful fish

[@hardmanfishing]

Thank you!

[@brycejohnson3347]

Have you looked into getting a tenkara rod for this kind of fishing? Anytime a fish is closer than 15 feet, I always find it more effective to use.

[@hardmanfishing]

Yeah I've thought about it. I probably will try it some time, just never had a tenkara rod so I've never had the ability to do it.

[@lanekejr3209]

Bro u have to do the wyo cutt slam! I have one more and it’s so fun!

[@hardmanfishing]

I'd love to do it one day!! I want to fish in Wyoming in general. But thanks for watching!

[@willbroderick7165]

Lucky enough to say the greenback was my first fish on the fly when I was little and got me hooked on fly fishing

[@hardmanfishing]

That is awesome!! You are a lucky man

[@cynthiakranz1899]

Enjoyed your video, when fishing in Colorado I caught my first and only cut throat 40 yrs ago. A very old trout historian said at the time fisherman tried to wipe them out thinking they were not normal

[@hardmanfishing]

That wouldn’t surprise me although I’ve never heard that. Now they are protecting them at all costs

[@cooperduke7302]

Are you guys at Cottonwood Lake?

[@dogtower1414]

Man yall would love it here in Washington state

[@fishgrubspinners6762]

Sweet video 👍

[@hardmanfishing]

Thanks!

[@astrolightsadventures4677]

Man I’d love to find places like this up here in the north west but I’m super new to fishing so have no clue where to even start

[@rkladis]

Curious, what brand is the blue net u guys r using. Great video. Beauty of a fish

[@TheCanyonFlyShop]

Catch cam nets!!!

[@tvictorio21]

I see that flying WV, go mountaineers!

[@hardmanfishing]

YESSIR!! Thanks for watching!

[@brucevaldez7501]

You guys should come down to the Grand Mesa while your down in Colorado it's got 5 type of trout

[@hardmanfishing]

We unfortunately aren't in Colorado at the moment! But I'll keep that in mind for the next time we head out!

[@brianalben4902]

Dope bro

[@hardmanfishing]

Thank you!

[@googleuser69]

Brother, this is the type of FlyFishing I want to execute! Let’s find the most exclusive species known to man… There’s more, we just need to find them… 💯💪🏻🎯❤️

[@jeromedwojak918]

Beautiful, worth the trip, enjoyed your fishing experience!

[@hardmanfishing]

Thank you so much for watching!! Glad you enjoyed the video

[@ryans.6028]

I've personally hiked up the trail by bear lake to the very top lake! Beautiful scenery but didn't bring my fly rod so I didn't get to catch a Greenback.. Great video!

[@hardmanfishing]

Thank you!! I'm glad you enjoyed the video

[@isaacanderson5264]

dude great videa as always! but please tell me where you and your bro got the face sheilds, those things are dope!?

[@hardmanfishing]

Honestly man a buddy of ours got them for us before we left for Colorado. I have no idea where he got them! But thanks for watching.

[@100GTAGUY]

I wanna say those might be salt Armour or gator neck face sheilds.

[@Skyler_Deacon]

Yep... Looks like home.

[@pecanjesaaleksandrom1108]

Bravo

[@rickjames5641]

Hey! Can you try to fish spinney reservoir in colorado while you're here?! They have huge trout there!

[@hardmanfishing]

We didn't fish the reservoir but we fished the dream stream (Colorado series part 1) and we fished above spinney which I probably won't make a video from. There are some MASSIVE fish in there though I can confirm. I may or may not have lost the biggest fish of my life in that area.

[@ironbrutesrage]

What area are you guys at? I live in Colorado and it looks familiar

[@stellavanlambalgen8662]

That place looks like heaven

[@hardmanfishing]

That’s because it is heaven! Thanks for watching

[@flyer037]

I caught a few native greenbacks about 10 days ago! I was SERIOUSLY sucking from the altitude! It was part of a 4000 mile, 8 state, 10 native trout epic road trip! Cutthroats are SO beautiful!

[@hardmanfishing]

They are absolutely gorgeous!! Thank you so much for watching the vid!

[@fUtube1212]

I fished many places in Colorado when I was younger, caught several species of trout that I had never seen.

[@joshlundberg6750]

My brother and his buddies have noodled trout In the big horns. They climbed a mountain and there’s a pond that’s super clear on top and you just grab them. I