The Popularity of the Rainbow Trout

The greenish/gray back, spotted body, bright red gill plates, and

the bright red stripe extending the length of the fishes body are where the rainbow trout gets it name, but this fishes popularity is about much more than this fishes beautiful coloration. Rainbow trout are known as a cold water fish that thrives in the waterways of the western United Sates, but this fishes reach extends far beyond the geographical area for which it is the most well known. Although it might be hard for non trout fishermen to imagine, the popularity of rainbow trout among anglers has placed it among the top five sport fishes in North America.

As far as the United Sates is concerned, rainbow trout can be found from Alaska, all the way to Mexico as well as throughout the mid Atlantic and Great Lakes region, some parts of North and South Carolina, and northern Georgia and Alabama. Basically, as long as water temperatures don't become too extreme to the high side of the mercury, and the water is fairly clear, you will more than likely find rainbow trout.

Steelhead are rainbow trout that leave freshwater as juveniles and migrate long distances in the ocean (or large lake such as the great lakes) where they grow to maturity before migrating back to their original home waters. Because Steelhead spend so much time is the ocean or similar large body of water the have access to tremendous amounts of food and grow to sizes that are larger than you would expect a typical rainbow trout to be. If you've spent any time fishing for and catching steelhead, you also know that they come back with quite an "attitude" as well after their extensive travels.

One of the reasons rainbow trout are a poplar species of fish to fish for because of the water that they are often found in. Prime trout waters are clear, clean and cold. Good trout stream or river habitat is complex, consisting of an array of riffles and pools, submerged wood, boulders, undercut banks, and aquatic vegetation which means that the scenery in which the fishermen finds him or herself is usually pretty pleasing. These hearty fish are also found and fished for in cold clear lakes as well as in rivers and streams.

One of the biggest reasons that the popularity of rainbow trout has grown to the point of making them one of the top 5 sport fish in North America is because of stocking programs. Fish and game departments as well as various conservation agencies in the area's of the country that are conducive to these fish raise rainbow trout in hatcheries and then release them into waterways for the express purpose of being caught by anglers. Every year a portion of these stocked trout survive, and the population of rainbow trout has grown to the point that we see today.

Couple all of these facts with the fact that rainbow trout are a ton of fun to catch and also make great table fare, and you will begin to see why the popularity of the rainbow trout is where it is. Because of all of these factors, I highly doubt that the rainbows popularity will change anytime soon.