Have you heard about the most common species of trout? If “No”, the most common trout species are bull, brook, rainbow, and brown.
I can tell you that trout is a fish species that has spread worldwide. Their species are numerous in the U.S.
This type of fish and salmon have a resemblance.
Though many trout species exist in the U.S., the three most common species are brook, rainbow, and brown.
Trout’s common species are mostly freshwater fish, which I will explain deeply.
They are from the genera Oncorhynchus, Salmo, and Salvelinus family. They all belong to the subfamily Salmoninae. Read on.
The Most Common Trout Species
Here are the most common trout species:
Rainbow Trout
Rainbow trout is native to the east coast of the Pacific Ocean, from Alaska to northern Mexico in the United States.
They are most widely distributed in all parts of the world, where cold, crystalline waters allow them to acclimatize, both in the northern and southern hemispheres.
The steelhead trout is the same species as the rainbow trout but differs from the known form.
Brook Trout
The brook trout is the most attractive of all chars for its remarkable colouration.
Back is olive green with vermiculated spots (in the shape of worms or worms) of yellow colour.
The pectoral, pelvic, anal, and caudal fins have a white front end edged in black.
On its flanks, it has red spots, often surrounded by a bluish halo.
However, unlike other salmonids, their body is covered in them, even though they are minimal.
They feed on snails and various invertebrates that inhabit streams or accidentally fall into the water.
Brown Trout
Brown trout is native exclusively to Europe and western Asia; it has been widely distributed worldwide.
Their golden colouration characterizes them; their back is generally brown, the flanks silver, and the belly yellowish.
They have orange spots on the flanks and very conspicuous dark spots with a slightly lighter halo on the sides, to well below the lateral line, back and opercula.
Generally, the adipose fin has an orange colouration. The caudal fin may have spots, but -in general- they are rare and are located in the upper lobe.
Brown trout are very voracious. Fish, crabs and river lobsters predominate in their diet.
Lake Trout
Lake trout are native to North America and are found in deep, cold lakes. They have rich, oily flesh and are often smoked or grilled.
What Is The Most Common Trout Species?
The most common trout species is rainbow trout. Rainbow trout is a native of the east coast of the Pacific Ocean, from Alaska to northern Mexico.
Its popularity currently makes it widely distributed trout in all parts of the world.
Cold, crystalline waters allow it to acclimatize, both in the northern and southern hemispheres.
The same species of rainbow trout is the steelhead trout.
Still, they differ from the known form as they migrate to the sea for maturation and then return to freshwater to spawn, just like salmon.
The rainbow trout differs from other salmonids. They have a broad purple band, from the operculum to the tail, on each flank.
The back of a rainbow trout is olive green and silvery on the sides but turns white on the belly.
Their entire body has rounded black spots, mainly on the backside.
They have profusely mottled dorsal and caudal fins. But those trout that frequent streams may have a white outer edge in their anal fins.
Rainbow trout are more miniature than brown and more significant than brook trout.
Still, their diets comprise invertebrates and are different. Rainbow trout is the most rustic and tolerant trout that adapts to almost all environments.
They are farm-raised fish and can be bred artificially.
Their hatcheries and varieties of higher growth have been achieved, with a higher percentage of meat that spawns at different times of the year.
Rainbow trouts inhabit most Patagonian environments and resist higher temperature ranges.
What Is The Largest Species Of Trout?
The largest species of trout is the Hucho taimen, also known as the Siberian taimen.
Hucho taimen (Siberian taimen) 200 pounds
Siberian taimen can grow up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) long and weigh up to 200 pounds (90 kilograms).
While there are other large trout species, such as the steelhead trout and the lake trout, the Siberian taimen is generally considered the largest.
Lake Trout: 72 Pounds
Lake trout of 72 pounds monster was caught in 1995 by Lloyd Bull.
Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus Mykiss): 48 Pounds
Sean Konrad is the world record holder who fished a 48-pound rainbow on September 5, 2009.
Brown Trout: 44 Pounds
Seumas Petrie is the world record holder of brown trout that weighed 44-pound, 5-inch
Cutthroat Trout: 41 Pounds
John Skimmerhorn caught the biggest cutthroat on record and is a 41-pounder.
Cutbow Trout: 34 Pounds, 11 Ounces
Mark J. Adams, on July 25, 2011, held the world record for cut bow trout.
Tiger Trout: 24 Pounds, 8 Ounces
Caylun Peterson in Washington state’s Loon Lake caught the biggest tiger trout on the world record on June 26, 2021.
Brook Trout (Savelinus Fontinalis): 14 Pounds, 8 Ounces
Dr J.W. Cook caught the biggest brookie on the world record, weighing 14 pounds and 8 ounces.
Golden Trout: 11 Pounds
Chas Reed caught the biggest golden trout, which measured 11 pounds.
Gila Trout: 3 Pounds, 7 Ounces
Bo Nelson is the current world record for Gila trout that weighed a 3-pound, 7-ounce.
Apache Trout: 5 Pounds, 3 Ounces
John Baldwin caught the giant Apache Trout on the world record, weighing 5 pounds, 3 ounces.
Aurora Trout: 4 Pounds, 14 Ounces
On world record, Aurora trout weighed 4 pounds, 14 ounces and was 19.6 inches long.
What Are The Four Major Species Of Trout In The United States?
These four significant species of trout in the United States of America are:
The Natives: Pacific Trout
There are three species of Pacific trout in the United States rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, and golden trout.
- Cutthroat trout is the favourite in the western United States.
- Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
In North America, the rainbow trout is the most prolific, well-known trout species.
- Golden Trout (Oncorhynchus aguabonita)
Golden trout is a native of North America, a rare and beautiful mountain fish.
The European Trout (Brown Trout) Salmo trutta
The European trout example is brown trout. Brown trout are native to South America, Africa, Europe, and North America.
The Chars: Char Trout (Salvelinus)
In North America, there are five types of char: brook trout, Dolly Varden, lake trout, Arctic char, and bull trout.
- Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis)
Brook trout have square tails with excellent scales, and they are also referred to as speckled trout
- Bull Trout (Salvelinus confluentus)
These are rare trout species, initially found throughout the Pacific Northwest and the Rocky Mountains.
- Lake Trout (Salvelinus namaycush)
Lake trout live in reservoirs and lakes in northern America. They are native to the coldwater lakes in northern North America.
The Crossovers: Hybrid Trout
These are hybrid trout that you can find in North American waters:
a. Tiger Trout (Salmo trutta x Salvelinus fontinalis)
Tiger trout is a type of fish born through cross-breeding using brook trout with brown trout.
b. Sea-Run Trout (Salmo trutta)
It is one of the non-native fish in North America.
c. Apache Trout (Oncorhynchus gilae apache)
Apache Trout is one of the two native Arizona trout.
What Is The Common Name For Trout?
The common name for trout is “trout”, but troutlet, troutling, or fry are common names for young trout.
There are other species of trout with different names, such as brook trout, bull trout, brown trout, lake trout and rainbow trout.
What Are The Different Types Of Trout?
The different types of trout are the brown trout (Salmo trutta), the rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss), the golden trout ( Oncorhynchus aguabonita ), the cutthroat trout “Lahontan” ( Oncorhynchus clarkii henshawi ), and cutthroat trout “Bonneille” ( Oncorhynchus clarkii clarkii).
The following is a more extensive type of trout genera and species:
- Salmo, the Atlantic and “Old World” salmon and trout; are marine and freshwater fish.
- Oncorhynchus, the Pacific salmon and trout, are marine and freshwater fish.
- Salmo trutta, the common trout, brown trout or reo, is the most common trout in the salmonid family.
- Salmo obtusirostris, the Adriatic trout, is a freshwater fish.
- Salmo ischchan, the Lake Sevan trout, is a freshwater fish.
- Acantholingua ohridana, the Albanian trout, is a euryhaline fish (freshwater and marine) and the only species in the genus Acantholingua.
- Oncorhynchus mykiss, the rainbow trout, is a euryhaline fish(freshwater and sea).
- Salvelinus fontinalis, the fontinalis trout or brook trout, is native to North America.
- Salvelinus alpinus, the arctic char or Arctic char, is an anadromous fish.
- Salmo platycephalus, the turkey trout, is a freshwater fish.
- Salmo cettii, the Tyrrhenian Sea trout, is a freshwater fish (distributed by the hydrographic basins of the rivers near the Tyrrhenian Sea).
- Salmo marmoratus, the marmorata trout or marble trout, is a euryhaline fish (freshwater and sea).
- Letnica psalm, the Ohrid trout, is a fish found in North Macedonia and Albania
- Salmo trutta fario, the fario trout, is a euryhaline fish (freshwater and sea).
What Is The Rarest Trout Species?
The rarest trout species is the Oncorhynchus mykiss gairdneri, commonly known as the McCloud River red band trout.
Habitat loss, overfishing, and the introduction of non-native species are some factors that make trout species rare.
The specific rarity of a trout species can vary depending on location and other factors, but one of.
The McCloud River red band trout is a subspecies of rainbow trout. They are native to the McCloud River basin in northern California.
The fish has distinctive red and black spotting and a pink or reddish stripe along its sides.
The subspecies have experienced significant population declines due to habitat loss from dam construction and logging, hybridization with non-native rainbow trout, and overfishing.
It is currently listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
Efforts are underway to conserve and restore the McCloud River red band trout and other rare trout species, including habitat restoration, fish passage improvements, and conservation hatchery programs.
Which Two Trout Species Are Most Closely Related?
Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and Cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii) are the most closely related trout species.
Both species belong to the family Salmonidae and the genus Oncorhynchus.
These two related trout species are native to the pacific ocean and Western North America.
They are often found in the same rivers and streams.
Hybridization between the two species mostly related occurs where their ranges overlap.
Despite their close relationship, there are notable differences in the physical appearance and behaviour of rainbow trout and cutthroat trout, such as colouration, spotting patterns, and feeding habits.
Rainbow and cutthroat trout are popular game fish and essential components of freshwater ecosystems.
They prefer to feed on aquatic insects, crustaceans, and small fish like rainbow trout.
Both rainbow and cutthroat trout are often raised in hatcheries for stocking in rivers and lakes as popular sport fishes.
Two related trout species have experienced population declines in some areas due to overfishing, habitat loss, and the introduction of non-native species.
Where Are Trout Most Commonly Found?
Trout are most commonly found in freshwater, which is why they live in cold clear freshwater streams, lakes, rivers and ponds worldwide.
The temperature of the cold water trouts adapt and thrive in is 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit and 10-16 degrees Celsius.
Trout also need well-oxygenated water and a sufficient supply of oxygen to survive.
Factors such as water quality, food availability, and habitat complexity also play essential roles in determining the distribution and abundance of trout populations.
Trout prefer cold water to survive, and cooler water makes them healthy.
Streams and rivers around the forest give shade and help cool the rivers.
The specific species of trout found in these regions vary.
Common trout types found in North America, Europe and Asia include rainbow trout, brown trout, brook trout, and cutthroat trout.
These trout species are commonly found in the Rocky Mountains, the Great Lakes region, the Northeastern United States, and the Pacific Northwest.
Some are located in the mountainous areas of Scandinavia, the Alps, and the British Isles of Europe.
While in Asia, trout are found in the rivers and lakes of China, Japan, and Russia.
Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) originated from North Carolina, and these species are from the char family.
They can only be seen in coldwater streams.
Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) originate in the Western Coast United States, Alaska, and Mexico, and are spectacular fighters. They are premiers in North American fishing.
Brown Trout (Salmo trutta) came from northern Europe and spread to far Germany and Scotland in the late 1800s.
They are recognized by their brownish-yellow colour and the scattered black, red, and orange spots on their sides.
What Trout Species Is The Best For Eating?
The trout species for eating is rainbow trout because many people attested rainbow trout to be the best species.
Its mild, delicate flavour and firm, flaky texture may be why it is best for eating.
Rainbow trout, known as steelhead trout) is the best species of trout to eat when it’s farmed in the U.S. or indoor recirculating tanks, according to Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch.
What rainbow trout feed on gives them a high nutritional profile and great taste. Their food includes large shrimps, prawns and crabs.
They have the highest nutritional content, which makes them exceptional. However, this can be a personal preference.
Still, some people may go for other species, such as brown trout, lake or brook trout.
The taste of trout varies which depends on their diet and where they were caught.
Rainbow trout are widely available and are commonly farmed for food, which makes them easy to find in grocery stores and restaurants.
Grilling, broiling, baking, and pan-frying are ways to prepare rainbow trout.
Rainbow trout are also a good source of lean protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamins and minerals.
This trout species is considered best for eating because it is healthy.
In addition to a balanced diet, they can be prepared in various tasty and nutritious recipes.
Conclusion
Now that you know the common trout species, it will be good for you to taste them in different recipes at home.
They are freshwater fish and can be easily found around you for food. Several species of trout are commonly found in various parts of the world.
Rainbow, brown, brook, and lake trout are among the most common trout species.
However, Rainbow trout is often considered the best species for eating due to its mild, delicate flavour and firm, flaky texture.
Try most of the species to confirm if rainbow trout is the best from my judgement.
Brown trout is also famous among anglers and has a rich, nutty flavour. Brook trout has a distinctive taste and is often cooked whole or pan-fried.
Lake trout has rich, oily flesh and is usually smoked or grilled.
These four are the most common and sought-after due to their taste, availability, and popularity among anglers.