Rainbow Trout
Oncorhynchus mykiss · Salmonidae
Also known as: Steelhead (anadromous form), Redband trout
A hard-fighting, acrobatic salmonid and the world's most widely stocked trout.
- Typical size
- 0.3–2 kg (1–4 lb)
- Max size
- Lake-run fish and steelhead exceed 9 kg (20 lb).
- Water
- Freshwater
- Best season
- Spring and fall; cool water through summer at altitude.
Identification
Silvery body with a broad pink-to-red lateral band and heavy black spotting over the back, sides, and tail.
Habitat & Range
Cold, clean rivers and lakes; the sea-run steelhead form migrates to the ocean and returns to spawn.
Native to the Pacific drainages of North America and eastern Asia; introduced on every continent except Antarctica.
Diet & Feeding
Aquatic and terrestrial insects, crustaceans, fish eggs, and small baitfish.
Spawning & Reproduction
Spring spawner (unlike the fall-spawning brown). Females cut redds in clean gravel riffles.
How to Catch
Match the hatch on rivers; on stocked lakes, suspend bait off the bottom. Expect spectacular jumps once hooked.
Best techniques
- Fly fishing
- Float/bobber fishing
- Spinning
- Drift fishing
Lures & baits
- Nymphs & dry flies
- Prepared bait & salmon eggs
- Spinners & spoons
- Worms
Best season: Spring and fall; cool water through summer at altitude.