Brown Trout

Salmo trutta

Natural-history illustration of a golden brown trout with red and black haloed spots
Reviewed species illustration. Confirm your catch with current state identification resources before keeping fish.

Brown trout were introduced from Europe in the 1880s and have thrived in American coldwater streams and lakes. More wary and selective than rainbow trout, browns grow larger and live longer — trophy specimens exceeding 20 pounds are caught in tailwaters and large lakes. Their golden-brown flanks with red and black spots surrounded by pale halos make them one of freshwater fishing's most beautiful targets.

Catching Tips

Browns are more nocturnal than rainbows. Large streamers and articulated flies fished at dusk and dawn produce the biggest fish. In stillwater, troll a small shad-colored lure along drop-offs. Mature fish become almost exclusively piscivorous — big fish eat little fish.

World Record

44.31 lbs
Weight
Ohau Canal, New Zealand
Location
2013
Year

No stocking events recorded yet for Brown Trout.