From Here to There with Trout

In the world of fishing, the trout is one of the common fish you will try to hit. Trout, however, is somewhat of a catch all term. It turns out there are a wide variety of them and we cover them here so you can speak about them like a pro.

Trout are one of the more hardy and common fish you will find. There are a wide variety of types which we will cover, but they have common characteristics. They tend to have fins without spines and a small fin along the back near the tail area.

Saying that trout are found everywhere is not an overstatement. They originate in Asia and are now common in the US, Canada and Europe. Over time, they have also been introduced down under and in other areas of the world.

Everyone has their favorite trout, but the brown trout is probably one of the most common you will run across. It can be found in just about any type of water, and even has saltwater variations. In general, it is brown and prefers cooler water with cover.

There is fishing and then there is fly fishing. If working with flies is your thing, the cutthroat trout is your fish of choice. Coming from the salmon arm of the trout, it is found in Canada and the US. An excellent game fish for the fly fishing game.

The rainbow trout is a standard bearer in the trout family. It is a variety of the salmon, and has been introduced into over 45 countries. Rainbow trout are known by a red stripe on their side. They like cooler water and are excellent eating.

The rainbow has evolved based on its environment. The saltwater version is known as the famous steelhead trout, but that is not the only difference. Steelheads are much bigger on average and have no stripe on their side. All and all, an excellent game fish.

The lake trout is better known as the mackinaw. It is found throughout many larger freshwater lakes in North America and is considered a great game fish. It is also the biggest trout on average with the world record being 65 pounds.

While the above represents a solid breakdown of the various trout you will run into, there is a far bigger selection in nature. Many of the species have different strains that have evolved over time, so look for the tell tale signs.