TroutTrout
The trout belong to the salmon family in a species called Salmo. True trout of this species can be identified by a zig zag row of teeth on the roof of their mouth. All trout have dark spots on a lighter background and 12 or less anal fin rays. Many different "species" of trout have been described, most of these can be included in two main groups called rainbow and cutthroat trout.
RAINBOW TROUT
Most rainbow trout live and spawn in fresh water. Some live in the ocean and only return to fresh water streams to spawn. These salt water rainbows are called steelheads. When people talk about rainbow trout and steelheads, they are describing the same species. The only difference is how they use the environment.
Rainbow trouts' backs are blue or olive green, turning to silver down the sides. They have a pink band along the side and are covered with small black spots.
CUTTHROAT TROUT
Cutthroat's are named for their most obvious identifying features, the red slash marks under their gills and lower jaws. Their coloring is different depending on where they are found. The ones that live near the coast have smaller spots and those that live inland have larger spots. Some cutthroats live in the ocean.
GERMAN BROWN TROUT
Brown trout aren't native to North America. They were brought over from Europe in the late 1800's and are very popular game fish in the northwest. Their backs are a shade of olive or golden brown on the back and sides, fading to a yellow or cream colored belly. They have large dark brown or black spots with some orange or red spots.
THE CHARS
Lake Trout -The lake trout are less colorful than all the other trout types. They have gray or greenish coloring with a lot of pale spots. They spawn in fall or early winter, laying their eggs on the lake bottom at up to 100 feet deep.
Brook Trout - Brook trout originated in the northeastern parts of North America but are now common to many areas including the northwest. Their coloring can be anywhere from a light silvery blue to a dark green. Their spots are light colored and some are red with halos of yellow, off-white or red. The lower fins are orange. Brook trout spawn in the fall.
The common trout lives in fresh water streams, lakes, and rivers in the northern regions. Trout eat smaller fish, crustacea, and insect larvae. Trout and salmon usually span during the fall, but it depends on the species. The most common trout in North America is the brook trout, similar to the brown trout in Europe. You can tell the difference between the male and female by the red band around the males body. Trout can grow to any size depending on the amount of food available and the kind of water in which they live. Most trout range from 1kg to about 2lbs. The trout start spawning in September and finish by December. Only 5 eggs get fertilized in the natural state. The others get washed away and get eaten by other fish. 90 percent are hatched by artificial means in hatcheries. The most important species of trout is the rainbow trout. Rainbow trout live in fresh water streams and lakes in the western United States. Rainbow trout are game fish because they fight really hard when hooked. Steelhead are game fish also. A species of trout native to the Rocky Mountains is cutthroat trout, also called the mountain trout. In the southern United States, largemouth black bass and weakfish are sometimes called trout.
Scientific classifications &endash; Trout belong to the family Salmonidae. Chars make up the genus Salvelinus, and true trouts the genus Salmo.
Common brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis
Brown trout (Europe)- Salmo trutta
Dolly Varden trout - Salvelinus malma
Mackinaw trout - Salvelinus namaycush
Rainbow trout - Oncorhynchus clarki
Weakfish - Cynoscion regalis
Largemouth black bass - Micropterus salmoides
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