Southwest Gold

The Inspiring Recovery of Gila Trout

Story and Photos by Katie DeLorenzo

Gila trout have luminous gold bodies.

New Mexico has two native trout species, the Gila trout and our state fish, the Rio Grande cutthroat. Gila trout have luminous gold bodies adorned with copper gill covers and, often, a faint pink stroke at the midline. Their native habitat is the Gila River and its coldwater tributaries. In recent times, habitat loss due to a variety of natural and human-caused factors, including drought, diversions, and wildfire, has jeopardized their existence. Their survival became so precarious that Gila trout were listed federally as an endangered species from 1967 to 2006.

The recent Gila trout story is one of challenges, triumph, and cautious optimism. After the devastating Whitewater Baldy fire, fish had to be evacuated to a hatchery before toxic ash caused die-offs in seventy-five percent of occupied Gila trout streams. The successful evacuation of fish from different lineages was critical to ensuring future genetic diversity. Five recognized lineages of Gila trout, including Main Diamond, South Diamond, Spruce Creek, Whiskey Creek, and the recently added Iron Creek, are propagated at the Mora National Fish Hatchery with plans to restock historic habitat.

Thanks to the ongoing efforts of the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, the US Forest Service, and others, Gila trout recovery is a testament to the effectiveness of interagency collaboration. Since 2006, Gila trout have been down-listed to threatened with a provision that allows for limited recreational fishing in specific waterways. There are close to 11,350 Gila trout onsite at the Mora hatchery for broodstock development. Annually, about twenty-five thousand fish are stocked and around one hundred thousand eggs are transferred to the wild and other hatcheries. In the wild, abundance is measured in stream miles occupied. With the addition of Whitewater Creek there are now one hundred and fourteen miles of occupied habitat with a recovery goal of one hundred and seventy-three miles of occupied habitat.

Platform for cooking trout woven out of green willow branches.

It may seem counterintuitive that fishing for Gila trout is encouraged. In reality, the opportunity to catch such an extraordinarily unique species drives public awareness and conservation support. A portion of money spent on state fishing licenses and taxation on tackle from the Dingell-Johnson Act is earmarked for Gila trout conservation, and, along with other federal agency wildlife funds, is essential to this restoration effort.

According to Mora National Fish Hatchery Project Leader Nathan Wiese, “Gila trout recovery efforts have succeeded to the point that limited harvest is allowed. Removing some by angling fish helps biologists confirm that populations are replenishing themselves with natural spawning and provides a wonderful shore lunch. This is a great time to be a Gila trout angler!”

CAMPFIRE TROUT

Serves 2

Knowing how to cook fresh fish perfectly over an open fire is a great skill to master. The delicate meat easily takes on flavor from spices and wood smoke. When gathering wood for the fire, alder, mesquite, and oak are good choices. Avoid resinous wood like pines and juniper because they may impart a turpentine-like flavor. Once you have an even bed of hot coals, you’re ready to cook.

1 whole trout, dressed

Extra-virgin olive oil

1–2 lemons

Pepper

Truffle salt

Heat a griddle or cast-iron pan on top of your campfire, or weave a platform out of green willow or mesquite branches. Suspend your wooden platform or griddle cooking device on the rocks comprising your fire ring, about 6 inches above the heat. Cast-iron pan can be set directly on the coals. Coat the dressed fish, inside and out, with olive oil, and place 2–3 lemon slices in the cavity. (It is best to keep your trout whole, especially if using a handcrafted platform, so it retains moisture and is more maneuverable.) If possible, slightly tilt the fish belly up to keep moisture in the cavity. Cook time will depend on variables such as fish size, heat intensity, distance from heat, and weather, but 4–8 minutes per side for fish 14 inches or fewer is a good rule of thumb. When the flesh on the bottom side is flaky, it is ready to flip. After cooking both sides, you can easily peel the skin back and pick the meat off one side.

Remove all the bones at once by gently lifting them out in one piece from head to tail. This technique works best if you keep the fish moist and avoid overcooking. Garnish the fish with fresh cracked pepper, truffle salt, and lemon, and enjoy your fresh caught meal.