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.



Trout also are found in general geographic profiles. These include lakes, rivers and streams that have cooler water. Given this broad definition, it is hardly a surprise that they are found in Asia, North American, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.

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.

Another common and much loved trout is the rainbow. Another member of the salmon family, it is known by its reddish or pinkish stripe on the side. Rainbows prefer cooler water and are freshwater fish. A variation, however, prefers the saltwater environment.

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.

When it comes to fishing, there is something tempting about finding the biggest fish in a species. The mackinaw is the fish in the trout family. Found primarily in the Great Lakes, the biggest caught to date was over sixty-five pounds.

Fishing is one of those sports you can enjoy day in and day out. As the old saying goes, a bad day fishing is better than a good day at work. That being said, it is definitely better when the trout are biting and they often are.