I fishs cutts in small lowland streams in the fall. Some of these are best fished with nightcrawlers as it is too brushy to fish lures.

It's best to file down or pinch down the barbs on bait hooks for easier release.

These fish are very agressive and will grab a bait and run for an undercut bank immediately. Set the hook the second the fish starts to run and you can hook them in the nose and release them.

Basically don't give them the chance to swallow the bait and hook. It is better to pull it out of their mouth and miss a hookup than let them swallow the bait. Most of the cutts I fish are residents rather than searuns according to biologist I have consulted. I occassionally retain some of these resident fish from small lowland streams.

If you are fishing larger waters like the Skagit, fish around brush and snaggy areas for searuns with small spoons or flies and please do C&R them.