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Let's Talk
Trout Species
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Knowing a
little about what you’re trying to catch is a good
thing. The more you learn about what you’re fishing for,
the greater your chances are of, not just finding them,
but catching them too. The goal of this web location is
to help you understand the various Pennsylvania trout
species so that a better understanding can help improve
your fishing experiences in our PA rivers, creeks and
streams. |
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So what
is a trout anyway? Trout are members of the Salmonidae family of
fishes. Mostly a freshwater fish, some do go to sea for part of
their life cycle. Trout need
clean, free flowing water with plenty of oxygenation in order to
survive and thrive. Trout are found wild in many parts of the
world and are commercially farmed for sport fishing and table
fair. They have elongated bodies
and are smooth skinned and smooth finned. Speaking of fin,
all of them have a small
adipose
fin along their back, near the tail. Trout can grow to be very
different in sizes with Brook trout averaging under twelve
inches and Lake trout reaching upwards of sixty pounds.
Trout vary, and depending on where you fish, the “common” trout may be
very different from one location to another.
Interestingly,
a lot of what makes them vary from each other has to do with
their habitat. In order for
a trout
to
survive its camouflage patterns or coloration of the bodies,
needs to help it blend into the background, which in turn, helps
it hide within its habitat. Different
environments result in different colorations and patterns to
match that environment. These patterns will change as trout move
into different habitats or areas. Seagoing trout for example,
are probably the most dramatic in that, when they return from
the sea they are silver in color and change to more vivid colors
once they return to the freshwater streams. Additionally, color
changes, usually more vivid colorations, takes place during the
spawning season. This signifies trout are ready to mate. We see
that here in Pennsylvania during October when trout seem to be
their prettiest.
Picture having all these trout species populations existing all
over the place that are isolated from each other with all the
colorations. It’s no wonder we would think that there are lots
and lots of trout species. But, in fact, these distinct
populations have no real significant genetic differences. It
seems like a large number of species but in reality, it is a
much smaller number of distinct species. Trout found in the
eastern half of the United States represent a good example of
this trait. Brook trout and Aurora trout both have colorations
and physical characteristics making them look different, yet
genetically they are one species, Salvelinus fontinalis.
The Aurora trout is a subspecies of the Brook trout. So, I
guess, like the horse of a different color, a trout is a trout,
never mind his color.
The
Most Common Pennsylvania Species of Trout |
