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.

If you love to use flies, the cutthroat is probably the trout at the top of your list. A variation of the salmon trout tree, it is found mostly in Canada and the northern US. The fish is so varied that it is difficult to describe it. Colors, size and characteristics vary.

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 steelhead trout is actually a version of the rainbow trout. The primary distinction is it finds its habitat in the saltwater ocean. The steelhead is distinguished form the rainbow by its larger size and its loss of the rainbow red stripe.

Size matters when it comes to fish, so what is the biggest trout? The lake trout is the winner. Known better as the mackinaw, it is found primarily in large lakes such as the Great Lakes. The largest caught came in at a whopping 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.