Launched in 2016 by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) and Utah Trout Unlimited, the slam was designed as both a fun challenge for anglers and a way to support conservation of Utah’s native cutthroat trout. To complete the slam, participants must catch Utah’s four native subspecies of cutthroat trout — Bonneville, Bear River, Yellowstone, and Colorado River — in their native ranges.

“The slam has been an incredible success for both anglers and conservation,” said Trina Hedrick, sportfish coordinator for the DWR. “So far this year, there have been 367 completions, and over $19,000 has been generated for native cutthroat trout conservation. This year, with Cutthroat Slam funding, we were able to restock Bonneville cutthroat trout into a remote stream using a helicopter — something that wouldn’t have been possible without this program.”

The first milestone came in September 2022 when 1,000 anglers had completed the slam and received the original medallion. Since then, a series of four medallions featuring artwork by angler and artist Tim Johnson has been introduced — one for each cutthroat trout subspecies.

The new medallions were released as milestones were reached:

* Colorado River cutthroat trout medallion: October 2022, at 1,000 completions.

* Yellowstone cutthroat trout medallion: December 2023, at 1,250 completions.

* Bear River cutthroat trout medallion: November 2024, at 1,500 completions.

* Bonneville cutthroat trout medallion: July 2025, at 1,750 completions.

With more than 2,000 completions now recorded, anglers can select their preferred medallion each time they finish the slam, making it easier to collect all four designs.

Since its launch, the Utah Cutthroat Slam has drawn more than 5,700 registered participants from 48 U.S. states and even one from outside the country. The slam has been completed 2,019 times, with 226 anglers completing it more than once. In total, the program has raised more than $126,000 for native cutthroat trout conservation and outreach efforts.

“We’re grateful to the anglers who embraced the spirit of the Utah Cutthroat Slam as a true conservation effort, not just a fishing challenge,” said Brett Prettyman, program director for Utah Trout Unlimited. “Hitting the 2,000 completion mark is unbelievable. It took us six and a half years to reach the first 1,000 completions, but only three more years to reach 2,000. Clearly, the colorful species medallions were a huge hit.”

Anyone interested in taking part in the Utah Cutthroat Slam can learn more about the program and register on the DWR website. The challenge not only offers anglers a chance to experience Utah’s diverse waterways and native trout, but also contributes directly to efforts to conserve these iconic fish for future generations.