COMMON NAMES: Brown trout,
German brown trout, Brownie
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Salmo trutta

IDENTIFICATION: Brown trout are brown to gold on their back with a cream to slate-colored belly. Most fish have black, gray, yellow and occasionally red spots all surrounded by a white halo. This species has a prominent spotted adipose fin between the dorsal and caudal fin. There are no spots on the squarish tail or vermiculation--wormy marks, on the back.

RANGE AND HABITAT: Brown trout are native to Europe but were introduced to North America before the turn of the century. They prefer cold water with temperatures ranging up to 26 C. Preferred habitat includes areas of boulders, cobble, logs, rootwads and overhead cover. Brown trout will feed in riffles containing rock as small as gravel.

ADULT SIZE: The average brown trout ranges from 10 to 13 inches in size. The state record brown trout weighed 14.65 pounds and measured 25.25 inches in length.

FISHING METHODS: Most anglers use fly-fishing gear when targeting brown trout. Flies generally match local hatches or nymphs of caddisfly, stonefly, or mayflies. However, brown trout can be caught with worms, crayfish, minnows, and leeches. Catch rates are usually greatest during cooler weather (fall through spring) or early in the day or late evening in summer. Anglers should concentrate on areas with downed logs, root wads, and overhanging banks.

 

COMMON NAMES: Brook trout, Brookie

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Salvelinus fontinalis

IDENTIFICATION: Brook trout have a typical trout-shaped body with an adipose fin between the dorsal and tail fin. One of its distinguishing characteristics is the white leading edge on the pectoral, pelvic, and anal fins. The rest of the fins are yellowish or reddish. Additionally, the back is heavily covered with vermiculation or 'wormy' marks. There are no black or brown spots on the head, back or caudal fin.

LIFE HISTORY: Brook trout usually spawn between September and December. Females lay several thousand eggs in the gravel of cold water streams. After hatching, brook trout feed on zooplankton while adult fish feed mainly on insects and aquatic invertebrates. However, they also eat small fish, snails and frogs. Brook trout become sexually mature at age one and generally do not live past age four.

ADULT SIZE: Brook trout range in size from 5 to 18 inches in length, but are seldom more than 12 to 15 inches.

FISHING METHODS: Brook trout can be caught using worms and grubs, but the preferred method is fly fishing. Anglers use lures that match natural hatches in the area. Brook trout feed more readily during daytime hours than brown trout.

COMMON NAMES: Rainbow trout, Steelhead, Kamloops

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Oncorhynchus mykiss

IDENTIFICATION: Rainbow trout have the typical trout-shape with an adipose fin, and a squarish tail that has black spots throughout. The rainbow trout has 10-12 anal rays and a white mouth and gums (coho and Chinook salmon, occasionally found in Lake Erie, have gray or black gums, more anal rays, and forked tails). Lake Erie steelhead are generally bright silver with a bright pink band. Males develop a hooked jaw known as a "kype" during the spawning season.

RANGE AND HABITAT: Rainbow trout are native to the western coastal United States and Alaska, but this species has been introduced into cold water locations throughout North America. Rainbow trout prefer cold water streams with cobble, boulders, deep pools, and overhead cover.

ADULT SIZE: Rainbow trout average 20 to 23 inches in length. The state record rainbow weighed 20.97 pounds and measured 36.5 inches in length.

FISHING METHODS: Anglers catch steelhead trout in Lake Erie during the summer while trolling for walleye. Steelhead are caught mainly on minnow-shaped crankbaits and spoons fished off downriggers or divers. In September, shore anglers catch steelhead off piers with spoons or jigs tipped with maggots. Once fish move into the rivers in the fall, anglers will catch steelhead with spawn bags, salmon eggs, flies, jigs tipped with maggots, minnows or worms. The best locations are pools or deep water (>2 feet) with some line of current flowing through it. During the spring, steelhead prefer flies, spinners, small minnow-shaped crankbaits, and jigs with maggots