Find Your Next Spot
Rainbow trout
Oncorhynchus mykiss
Identification
A pink-to-red horizontal stripe along silvery sides, covered in small black spots that extend onto the tail.
Where It's Found
Cold, oxygen-rich streams, rivers, and lakes nationwide — both wild populations in the West and widely stocked fisheries elsewhere.
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Fishing Notes
A staple of fly fishing; nymphs and dry flies matched to local insect hatches, or small spinners and PowerBait for stocked-water anglers.
Scientific Classification▾
Family
Salmonidae
Genus
Oncorhynchus
Order
Salmoniformes
Class
Actinopterygii
Phylum
Chordata
Kingdom
Animalia
Ready to go fishing?
Find a boat ramp near you and check state fishing regulations before you head out.
Photography sourced from Wikimedia Commons contributors.