There are some fish that are very, very hard to catch. Some require the kind of travel and resources that the vast majority of anglers simply cannot muster. Others, for one reason or another, hole up in unreachable locations or behave with extreme wariness. There are plenty of fish that are a struggle to hook, play, and land.

And then there is the Paiute Cutthroat.

The Paiute’s range is in the California mountains, but it isn’t obscenely remote. In fact, the relatively close Pyramid Lake, just across the border in Nevada, is a popular fly fishing destination. The trout themselves aren’t any more discerning than other species. If anything, their high-gradient mountain ecosystem compels them to feed opportunistically.

But you’re not going to catch one today. And here is why:

The native range of the Paiute Cutthroat Trout is isolated to less than a half dozen tributaries at the headwaters of the East Fork Carson River. With nearly 100 years of monitoring, scientists are confident that is it – that’s all there is. So the California Department of Fish and Wildlife has put a moratorium on angling for these unique trout.

As is usually the case with niche strains of trout, hybridization is a major threat. Introduced rainbows, golden, and other cutthroat strains from further down the watershed began to mingle with the Paiutes. By the time genetic testing was a thing, the Paiute trout were already showing visible signs of cross-breeding. Naturally, Paiute Cutthroats have no or very few spots. Their coloration flows from green to tan to pink to white, featuring splotches of blue.

Interesting enough, human interference has laid the groundwork for restoration. At the turn of the last century, high country shepherds transferred fish above waterfalls. This effectively set these trout apart from any other salmonids and preserved the integrity of their genetics. More recently, chemical efforts to remove invasive trout species have been conducted.

If California and her conservation partners succeed, the Paiute Cutthroats will rebound in their native range. This is being done for the fish and their ecosystem, but the hope is that the fishery becomes so robust that anglers can trek deep into the  wilderness to pursue a special and storied fish.