Rainbow trout
Also called rainbow, Oncorhynchus mykiss
A rainbow trout is a coldwater trout known for a pink-to-red stripe along its side and heavy spotting. It is one of the most common trout species anglers catch in rivers and lakes.
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- Trout & char
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- Freshwater
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What Rainbow trout means
Rainbows are native to the Pacific slope of North America, and they have been widely introduced elsewhere. They live in rivers, tailwaters, spring creeks, and lakes, and they tolerate slightly warmer water than some other trout species, depending on the fishery.
Most rainbow trout feed on drifting insects, larvae, and nymphs, plus small fish, scuds, and crayfish where those are present. In rivers they often hold in riffle edges and deeper runs where food comes to them. Some populations migrate to a lake or the ocean and return to rivers, those migratory fish are often called steelhead when they run to the sea.
Why it matters on the water
Knowing you are targeting rainbows helps you pick water and tactics that match how they feed. On many rivers they are comfortable sitting in current and eating steady drift, so clean drifts with nymphs and small dries matter.
It also helps set expectations for where fish show up in a system. Tailwaters and other food-rich rivers can grow high numbers of rainbows.
Read next
- Brook troutBrook trout are a char, not a true trout. They are coldwater fish known for bright colors and pale “worm-like” markings on the back.
- Brown troutA brown trout is a trout species (Salmo trutta) known for a golden-brown body with dark spots, often with some red or orange spots. It is native to Europe, northern Africa and western Asia and widely introduced around the world.
- Cutthroat troutCutthroat trout are native trout of the western U.S. and Canada, named for the orange to red “cut” mark under the jaw. Many populations are distinct subspecies tied to specific river basins.
- SteelheadA steelhead is a rainbow trout that migrates to the ocean and later returns to freshwater to spawn. Unlike Pacific salmon, steelhead can survive spawning and may repeat the cycle.
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