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Common name: Rainbow trout (other names include ‘bow, red sides, silver trout and red-band trout)
Scientific name: Oncorhynchus mykiss
California record: (non-hatchery) 27 lbs. from Lake Natoma on October 2, 2005 by angler Frank Palmer.
Description: Rainbow trout range on average from 12 to 18 inches in length. They posses the streamlined salmonid form. They are distinguished by their small black spots that line their back, dorsal fin and caudal fin. The trout’s name comes from its characteristic pink/red rainbow stripe that runs along the side of the fish from the gill cover to the caudal fin.
Rainbow trout that live in rivers or streams usually have the most intense rainbow stripe on their sides and the most dark spotting on their backs.
The color of the trout’s back usually varies anywhere from blue to green to yellow-green to brown.
Rainbow trout feature a short maxilla, which reaches to the rear margin of the eye but not beyond it. The trout also have 8 to 12 rays in their anal fin and a mouth that does not go past the back of the eye. They have teeth along the roof of their mouth but no teeth from the base of their tongue. They also lack hyoid teeth, a characteristic found in their cousin trout, the cutthroat.
The trout’s tail is also slightly forked, but more often on younger trout.
Habitat: Rainbow trout are native to lakes and streams west of the Rocky Mountains and can also be found from Alaska all the way to Northern Mexico. As a favorite of anglers, trout have been transplanted and stocked into many lakes in California and around the world.
Rainbow trout prefer a freshwater habitat and spend most of their lives in a freshwater habitat, but they are capable of migrating to sea water if needed or if the conditions are suitable. The freshwater form of the trout is called the “rainbow” or “red-band” trout, while the marine form is called the “steelhead” trout.
Rainbow trout prefer temperate freshwater. They like moderate to fast flowing waters as well as oxygenated waters when breeding. Rainbow trout can also live in cold lakes, and actually survive better in lakes than in flowing streams.
Reproduction: Rainbow trout spawn during late winter to early spring and into summer. The trout spawn during this time due to the warming water temperature. They also spawn during these months depending on specific location and how cold the winter is.
Female rainbow trout us their tails to make “redds” or nests by digging 4 to 12 inches deep into the floor and 10 to 15 inches wide in diameter. After the nests have been prepared, the females lay anywhere from 200 to 8,000 eggs into the redd.
A male rainbow trout then comes and fertilizes the eggs and covers them with gravel.
Hatching usually happens after a few weeks, but can sometimes take up to as much as four months depending on the temperature of the water.
Once hatched, the fish form groups and find shelter by stream margins or protected lake shores.
Sexual maturity varies among individual trout based on their population density, genetic makeup and productivity of the aquatic environment they live in. Male and female trout living in the wild usually become sexually mature at age 3 to 5 years, but usually both sexes mature around 6 to 7 years.
Spawning can take place annually or up to three times a year. It has been documented that an 11-year-old rainbow trout was still able to spawn.
Eating habit: Young rainbow trout feed primarily on zooplankton. As they grow older, the trout broaden their diet to shrimp, copepods, aquatic and terrestrial insects, arrow worms, young fishes including trout, mollusks, crustaceans, minnows, krill, crickets, salmon carcasses, fish eggs and even small mammals.
Fishing methods, tips, and best lures and baits: Rainbow trout will hit a variety of lures and bait. Power Bait, salmon eggs, nightcrawlers, cheese baits and meal worms are effective baits. Inflating nightcrawlers with air can make them more effective.
For anglers preferring to use artificial baits, inline spinners, small crankbaits, mini-jigs and small plastic worms are best bets. Adding scents to these lures can make them more effective.
Ultra-light gear is usually best for rainbow trout. Smaller reels and light rods matched with 2- to 4-lb. test is good start.
Rainbows are also targeted using fly gear, especially in the Sierras. Setups depend on the area being fished. Flys that “match the hatch” usually work best.
Many anglers also enjoy trolling for rainbows. A little heavier line in the 6- to 8-lb. test is best. Small Rapalas and other crankbaits make excellent trolling lures. Some anglers utilize lead core line while trolling, especially in the warmer months when the fish go deeper into cooler water.
Mini-jigs have also become popular and can be fished in a number of ways. The most common techniques are split-shotting or drop-shotting the small jigs or worms. Placing a water bobber in front of a mini-jig and using slow retrieve can produce well at times.
Best times of the year for targeting this species: Rainbows can be caught year-round. Many lakes and streams in the Sierra region are closed during winter, but some remain open and many lakes in the lower lying areas do well in the winter. The Sierra openers around April usually produce well as the fish have not been targeted for quite a few months.
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