The Fabeled Trout of North America

Fly Fishing in North America is more about catching fish. It's about understanding an area’s past, understanding the ecosystem in which you surround yourself. Each species you are able to see has its own story. Many will tell you if the fish you are catching is stocked or not. In this post, I will talk about the three major trout species in North America and their history. 

Starting with the staple of North American fly fishing, the rainbow trout. The rainbow trout is the most well-known trout in North America.  Although Native to the Pacific coast, the rainbow trout is the most stocked trout throughout North America. If you have ever gone on any sort of fly fishing trip in America, you have most likely caught one of the colorful fish. When catching rainbow trout, it is important to know where you are. If you are on the eastern coast and you catch rainbow trout, chances are the fish you caught is not wild. However, if you are on the western coast, chances are it is… not. Although native to the West Coast, the Rainbow trout populations are often depleted by overfishing, and the only reason they have a steady population is because of continued stocking. So if you catch on America's most famous fish, chances are you caught a rude stocker.  

The next fish is the beloved brown trout. Brown trout are widely considered the favorite among anglers. This is due to many reasons. Brown trout often grow the largest of any of the trout in North America, and also put up the best fight. They are also considered one of the hardest fish to catch. Many experienced anglers call them the smartest fish, as they are often wild, and stocking is limited. If you come to North America to fly fish, chances are you are chasing a brown trout.

The last trout I want to talk about today is the brook trout. Brook trout are a fabled classic among North American fly fishermen. Found mostly in the eastern United States, a brook trout is beloved for its striking beauty and colorful pattern of orange, yellow, and red dots. The largest brook trout caught on record is 14lbs 8 ozs. Brook remains wild mainly in the country. If you catch a brook trout however, in the west. Chances are that is a stocked fish.