Brown Trout : A Guide to Brown Trout

The brown trout, similar to the rainbow trout, is also found extensively throughout the world. The brown trout, which was originally a European and Asian fish, has made its way to North America, New Zealand and South America. In the United States, brown trout are found extensively not just in the Rocky Mountains but also in Midwestern and Eastern trout streams.

Picture of a Brown Trout. Note the numerous spots and brown color of the trout.

The brown trout is famous for its’ intelligence and cunning. Simple fly fishing tactics for other types of trout often times fail miserably when fly fishing for brown trout. Because of this, brown trout often lead anglers to frustration – especially beginning anglers. Yet, this same intelligence displayed by the brown trout makes catching them all the more worth while, even more so since brown trout are generally a little bit larger than their rainbow trout cousins due to their ability to live in warmer water (which usually has higher nutrients than colder water does).

Brown trout are also hatchery raised, although not nearly on the same scale as the rainbow trout. The difficulties in raising brown trout in hatcheries, combined with the desire of anglers to fly fish for the easier to catch rainbow trout, have limited the numbers of brown trout raised in hatcheries.

Depiction of a brown trout rising to a fly.

Brown trout are notorious for ruining many a fly fishing trip for anglers. The high degree of intelligence displayed by brown trout makes them very difficult simply to hook. Once hooked, though, is where the real intelligence of the brown trout kicks in. Instead of putting on acrobatic displays like the rainbow trout, brown trout almost always heads for every obstacle in the river that the trout can find – all in hopes of entangling and snapping your line. Failing that, it will make monstrous runs and even take to the air like the rainbow trout if needed. In short, a brown trout will truly exhaust itself trying to break free from your fishing line, using every trick in the book to make it happen. And, all to often, since light tippets and tackle is used when fly fishing for brown trout, the trout ends up winning the battle – leading to lots of sorrowful stories at dinner time.

The brown trout is recognized by its butter colored sides and has black and red spots following the lateral line of its body. To many people, the brown trout is rather ugly, especially when stacked up against a pretty rainbow or brook trout. That perspective will change, though, the minute you hook a 20-inch plus brown trout – guaranteed.

If you’re an avid rainbow trout angler, be warned the brown trout could very well be the primary trout species of the future, so it’s best to brush up on your tactics for this wily fish. Brown trout are remarkably resilient and have a strong instinct to survive. Their ability to live in warmer waters than other trout, along with their resistance to Whirling Disease, allows brown trout to thrive in areas where rainbow trout often struggle to survive. In the years to come, especially if drought conditions continue in the Rocky Mountains and the climate continues to warm, it is quite possible that brown trout will become the primary trout species in most of the United States in the not so distant future.

Related Articles

Brook Trout Rainbow Trout Golden Trout Cutthroat Trout

Top