Rainbow Trout
Trout and charOncorhynchus mykiss · also called steelhead when sea-run
The most widely stocked trout in the world. The pink lateral band is the obvious feature, but it fades on lake and sea-run fish, so the spot pattern on the tail is the reliable one.
Quick facts
- Appearance
- Silvery-olive with small black spots scattered over the back, sides and — critically — across the whole tail, plus a pink or red band along the flank.
- Typical size
- 0.5–6 lb
- Waters
- stream cold, lake, river
- Regulations
- Trout waters commonly have separate seasons, stamp requirements, tackle restrictions and daily limits distinct from general fishing regulations.
How to confirm it
- Black spots covering the entire tail, top to bottom.
- Pink or red band along the flank, though this fades on silvery lake fish.
- Spots on a light background, unlike brook trout's light marks on dark.
- Adipose fin present, as on all trout and salmon.
What it is confused with
One check settles each of these.
Brown trout has red or orange spots with pale halos and few or no spots on the tail.
Brook trout has light worm-like markings on a dark back and white leading edges on the lower fins.
Why this matters beyond curiosity
- Look-alike species often carry different limits. Walleye and sauger, black and white crappie, pike and muskie, blue and channel catfish — each pair can have different sizes, seasons and daily limits in the same water.
- Check it before the fish goes in the livewell. Most of the tests on this site take seconds and are far easier on a fish you are still holding.
- If you cannot tell, release it. That is the answer that is never wrong, and it is the one a warden will not argue with.
- Regulations are set by your state or province and change annually. This site identifies fish; it does not tell you the rules. Check the current regulations for the water you are on.