There are several trout facts that make this fish unique.
Trout are part of the salmon family, found in streams, lakes, and oceans around the world. Their distinctive speckled coats, along with their tendency to leap from the surface of the water to hunt flying prey, mean they’re quite easy to spot out in the wild.
Description
Trout have a large mouth and teeth. The males develop a hooked lower jaw called a kype. They can grow in size to nearly 30 pounds, but most wild trout stay on the smaller side, averaging around six inches long. They have an extra adipose fin between the dorsal and tail fin, which can be forked or square shaped.
Identifying Trout
Trout scales are small and slimy. They come in a range of patterns from dull to bright, and one of the interesting trout facts is that males tend to gain even more color during spawn season. Depending where and when you fish, your catch could have a wide range of different colors and markings.
Here’s how to spot three common trout varieties:
- Rainbow trout: dark back and white belly with a distinctive pink stripe down the middle.
- Brown trout: brown to green skin with ringed black and red spots.
- Brook trout: brown with reddish fins and white tips.
- Golden trout: yellow-gold color all over with slight pink coloring on the fins.
When in doubt, you can tell the difference between a salmon and trout by examining the row of teeth along the middle of the fish’s upper jaw. Salmon have just one row, while trout have two.
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