Trout fishing is a popular sport as it combines the skill of fly fishing with the peace and quiet of wilderness fishing. Trout like to live in rivers, lakes, and ponds, so trout fishing can be done almost anywhere. However, trout species differ even more than their habitats, so understanding each will significantly improve your fishing and dining experiences.
There are over 50 species of trout, and their main difference lies in their coloration, habitat, and geographic range. In North America, you’ll expect to find several native species under the Pacific trout genus. A few of these are the Rainbow trout, Cutthroat trout, Brook trout, and Golden trout.
Trout is a favorite fish for many. The fresh, almost sweet taste makes it a favorite in many restaurants and diners. There are many different species of trout, each with distinct characteristics that make them unique in appearance and taste.
How to Distinguish Between the Species of Trout
Trout are fish that are found in a variety of freshwater habitats. These include cool, clear, fast-moving water, rivers, streams, and lakes.
They are genius fish known for their excellent taste and calm demeanor. This makes them highly sought after by anglers, who travel the world to catch their favorite species. If you’re an avid angler or want to become one, you must know how to identify trout correctly.
Trout can be identified by sight through their markings and coloration. The shape of the trout’s body will also help you to determine what type of trout you’re looking at. To help you tell them apart, here are some different kinds of trout native to North America and notable features about each one.
Rainbow Trout Are the Most Recognizable Species
Rainbow trout are some of the most common fish in North America.
They are regularly found in cold streams, lakes, and rivers throughout Northern America – but are native to Alaska, British Columbia, and West coast states. However, they are also known to be found across the nation in all the Great Lakes to Georgia and Atlanta.
This species is possibly the most recognizable because of the rainbow-like colors stretching across either side of its body.
Rainbow trout have a deep reddish-pink stripe along their flanks with solid black spots on the upper half of their body. The color of its topside is a greenish-blue but can look brown too. The underside is a lighter red or pink to silver.
The coloration of their body is not the only way to identify them. Rainbow trout have more expansive, square tails than their cousins. You can also check their dorsal fin – if this fin has spots, you have yourself a Rainbow trout.
If you’ve hooked yourself a Rainbow trout, be ready for a fight. This species is known for its aggressive nature and provides a much more challenging fight than most other species.
Cutthroat Trout Are Known for Their Bold Red Jawline
The cutthroat can be found in clear rivers and streams of high mountainous areas.
They are primarily located along the West coast in the Rocky Mountains and Pacific coast. Cutthroats are known to not live well with other species, therefore, they enjoy cold fast waters that are usually too harsh for them.
Named after its coloration, the Cutthroat trout has a bold red slash on its lower jaw, giving it a distinct look from any other. They display this vibrant coloring on their throats with dark spots on their back.
While there are 14 subspecies of Cutthroat trout, their appearances may vary, but the most common are:
- Yellowstone Cutthroat
- Snake River Cutthroat
- Coastal Cutthroat.
Cutthroat trout are renowned for being excellent sportfish and a sought-after species for fly fishing. Being an aggressive species that feed actively, they are known to frequently give in to rising to the dry fly.
Brook Trout Have Worm-Like Markings
Brook trout are not technically a part of the trout species. They’re a northern cousin of trout and salmon called Char.
Nonetheless, they are still the only trout species native to North Carolina and are most commonly found in the Great Lakes, the Appalachian Mountains, and towards the Arctic sea. However, they are a prominent species in many small cold streams and are seen more often in the Western Rocky Mountain regions today.
This species is regularly referred to as speckled trout due to their yellow worm-like markings, which are most prominent on their head and back. The Brooks tail is very square and has white tints on the edge of its fins.
Their bodies are light on the underside and become darker as you move to the top of the fish, with Rainbow trout-like streaks on their lower flanks.
Brook trout are small, slim fish with an average weight of 1-2 pounds and a length of 8 inches. That said, this fish is still great fun to catch. They are one of the easier trout species to fish for because of their willingness to rise to dry flies and small spinners.
Golden Trout Are Stunning Mountain Fish
This species is native to North America. Having favored the remote alpine streams and lakes of mountainous regions, the Golden trout is possibly the rarest species of trout.
Golden trout are easily spooked, making them difficult to catch. There are many ways to identify a Golden trout – they look similar to rainbow trout, with the addition of a golden hue. They also have a reddish-orange band on their flanks.
Their tail and upper fins are golden with large black spots, while the bottom fins are a reddish-orange with white tips. The spots are generally focused on the tail-end of the body and decrease as you move diagonally toward the head. Although they may be found above the band on their flanks and on top of the head.
Golden trout are one of the most sought-after fish in freshwater due to their coloration and markings, and rightly so. They’re beautiful fish commonly caught and released due to their rarity.
What Is The Most Common Type of Trout?
The three most common species are Brook, Rainbow, and Brown trout – Making these species the most sustainable trout in freshwater water bodies. While there are several trout species in North America, many of them are known as invaders who are not native to this region.
Having previously mentioned both Brook and Rainbow trout, let’s shift our focus to the invader species of Northern America – the Brown trout.
Brown Trout Are Native to Germany and the UK
Having been brought to Northern America from European countries in the 1800s, Brown trout are known as an invader species to this region. They are the most common trout globally because they are one of the most adaptive species.
Brown trout are widespread throughout North America and are usually found in abundance in the Great Lakes. They are also found in the Eastern and Western parts of the United States.
This species likes warm waters, generally up to 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18.33 degrees Celsius). The only exception would be their spawning season – Brown trout prefer colder waters during this time.
They are renowned for their yellowish-brown color accompanied by reddish-orange and black spots. However, their color is likely to vary depending on where they live. The best indicator to look for when determining this species is their spots.
It’s also important to note they lack a clear-cut resemblance to trout and look more like salmon. This is because Brown trout are a part of the Salmonidae family.
What Is the Rarest Type of Trout?
The Paiute Cutthroat is the rarest trout species in all of Northern America. Being a subspecies of the native Cutthroat, the Paiute is home to Silver King Creek and surrounding tributaries. However, the Paiute is now threatened due to angling and hybridization.
Having been one of the first animals mentioned in the Federal Endangered Species Preservation Act of 1966, the Paiute Cutthroat trout is considered one of the rarest trout species.
Due to vast accounts of recovery action, in 1973, the species began to increase in number, and their title was downgraded from endangered to threatened.
What Kind of Trout Tastes Best?
When it comes to trout, the answer isn’t quite as simple as you’d think. It depends on what you’re looking for in terms of taste and texture.
Brook trout are easily the best tasting trout. They’re renowned for their milder, flakier, and leaner meat than other trout. Brook trout have a delicate flavor that gets lost when cooked with too much seasoning.
Their meat is delicate, light, and tastes best when grilled. Adding just a touch of salt and pepper to counteract its naturally sweet flavor makes the perfect mouthful.
Do Different Types of Trout Taste Different?
Different types of trout have different tastes that vary based on species, habitat, diet and storage. Although there is an overarching taste, different species will vary in flavor and texture.
Rainbow trout, for example, have a very mild taste as opposed to lake trout, which have a very strong, fishy flavor.
Some might also be extremely tender and flaky, almost melting in your mouth if cooked right while others might be tougher, requiring a bit more creativity in the kitchen to suit your palate.
Regardless, proper storage and cooking methods can elevate the flavor of whatever type of trout you choose.
Final Thoughts
Throughout Northern America’s various streams, rivers, and lakes, non-native trout have been introduced to aid in sport fishing.
Of course, this success has come with its downfall and become a primary concern for conservationists – as in the case of the Paiute Cutthroat trout.
The brook trout is abundant, widely distributed throughout its native range, and found globally. If you choose to pursue it, you will likely have little trouble finding it in suitable habitats.
As a whole, trout are a favorite amongst many anglers. They are a beautiful, diverse species and very fun to catch.
