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Trout Information 
Trout are usually found in cool, clear
streams and lakes, and are distributed naturally throughout North
America, northern Asia and Europe. Several species of trout were
introduced to Australia and New Zealand by amateur fishing enthusiasts
in the 19th century, contributing to the displacement of native
freshwater fish to some extent.
Trout have fins entirely without spines, and all of them have a small
adipose (fatty) fin along the back, near the tail. There are many
species, and even more populations that are isolated from each other and
morphologically different. However, many of these distinct populations
show no significant genetic differences, and therefore what may appear
to be a large number of species is considered a much smaller number of
distinct species by most ichthyologists.
The trout found in the eastern United States are a good example of this.
The brook trout, the aurora trout and the (extinct) silver trout all
have physical characteristics and colourations that distinguish them,
yet genetic analysis shows that they are one species, Salvelinus
fontinalis.
Lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush), like brook trout, actually belong to
the char genus. Lake trout inhabit many of the larger lakes in North
America and live much longer than rainbow trout which have an average
maximum life span of 7 years. Lake trout can live many decades and can
grow to more than 60 pounds (27 kg).
Rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss
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Rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss
Most trout are restricted to fresh water, but many, like the steelhead (Oncorhynchus
mykiss) – which is the same species as the landlocked rainbow trout –
spend their adult life in the ocean and then return to spawn in the
streams in which they were hatched. This is called anadromous
reproduction and is more often seen in salmon. Brook trout, brown trout,
cutthroat trout, bull trout, and Arctic char also have populations that
run to salt water.
Trout generally feed on soft bodied aquatic invertebrates, such as
Diptera, mayfly, caddis fly, and stonefly, although larger specimens of
trout regularly feed on other fish.
As a group, trout are somewhat bony, but the flesh is generally
considered good eating. Additionally, they provide a good fight when
caught with a hook and line, and are sought after recreationally.
Because of their popularity, trout are often raised on fish farms and
planted into heavily fished waters in an effort to mask the effects of
overfishing. While they can be caught with a normal rod and reel, fly
fishing is a distinctive method developed primarily for trout and now
extended to other species. Farmed trout and char are also sold
commercially as food fish.
Trout that live in different environments can have dramatically
different colorations and patterns. Mostly, these colors and patterns
form as camouflage, based on the surroundings, and will change as the
fish moves to different habitats. Trout in, or newly returned from the
sea, can look very silvery, while the same "genetic" fish living in a
small stream or in an alpine lake could have pronounced greenish
speckles with far more coloration. It is virtually impossible to define
a particular color pattern as belonging to a specific breed, however, in
general, wild fish are claimed to have more vivid colors and patterns.
Golden Trout (Oncorhynchus aguabonita)
Golden Trout (Oncorhynchus aguabonita)
The cutthroat trout has 14 recognized subspecies (depending on your
sources), such as the Lahontan cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarki
henshawi, Bonneville cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarki utah, Colorado
River cutthroat trout, Yellowstone cutthroat trout.
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