Brown Trout Fishing Guide

The brown trout (Salmo trutta) is native to Europe and western Asia but has been so successfully introduced to North America, South America, Australia, and New Zealand that it now ranks among the world's most important recreational fish. Golden-brown with distinctive red and black spots surrounded by pale halos, brown trout are the wariest and most challenging trout for fly fishers to catch consistently. They are among the most thermally tolerant salmonids, able to persist in streams reaching 75°F where rainbows and brook trout cannot survive. Brown trout are largely nocturnal feeders and particularly large individuals may feed almost exclusively on large prey items including other trout and small mammals. Sea-run brown trout ('sea trout' in Europe) reach extraordinary sizes and are a prized game fish in their own right.

Brown Trout is a freshwater species.

Habitat

Rivers and streams throughout much of the US, particularly the Northeast, Great Lakes tributaries, and mountain streams of the West where they've been widely stocked. More tolerant of warmer, slower water than brook or rainbow trout; also found in large lakes where they spend most of the year before entering tributaries to spawn in fall.

Diet

Highly opportunistic: aquatic and terrestrial insects dominate in smaller fish, but large brown trout shift heavily to fish (particularly sculpins, minnows, and smaller trout), crayfish, and even small rodents. Large brown trout are among the most piscivorous of all trout species.

Fishing Techniques

• Fly fishing streamers and dry flies
• Drift fishing spawn sacs
• Trolling crankbaits on lakes
• Jigging spoons
• Nighttime topwater fishing

Best Seasons

Fall, Spring

Size & Records

Average weight: 2 lbs. World record: 44.91 lbs (Little Red River, Arkansas, USA (1992)).