Trout Fly Fishing There are several things one needs to know before going trout fly fishing. Among these are discovering the different types of trout for fly fishing and where to find them. The four main types are rainbow, german brown, brook (an outlaw), and cutthroat. Okay, lets don't forget the rare golden.
What Are Trout and Where Are They? A trout is the common name given to a many different species of freshwater fishes. These species all belong to the salmon family. Trout have no spines on the fins. All trout have a small adipose or fatty fin along their back, near the tail. Trout can live many decades in the right water. They move from lakes to rivers and back. Most trout are restricted to freshwater. But some, like the steelhead, spend their adult life in the ocean and then go back to spawn in the streams where they hatched. As a group, trout are considered bony fish. This means that a trout is a fish that will give a fly fisherman a good fight once it is caught on your rod. It is important to know and understand trout and the best fresh water rivers they live in for you to get the most enjoyment and success out of trout fly fishing. You need to know the trout's environment, spawning habits, and preferred food. It is said that in order to get the most out of fly fishing for trout, one needs to learn as much about trout and the fresh water rivers they inhabit. Types of Trout The Brown Trout and the Sea Trout are fish of the same species distinguished chiefly by the fact that the brown trout is largely a freshwater fish, while the sea trout shows anadromous reproduction, migrating to the oceans for much of its life and returning to freshwater only to spawn. The lacustrine morph of brown trout is most usually potamodromous, Most brown trout migrate from lakes into rivers or streams to spawn, although there is some evidence of stocks which spawn on wind-swept shorelines of lakes. These trout form stream-resident populations, typically in alpine streams but sometimes in larger rivers, as well. Fly fishing for Brown Trout in the U.S. is done in most states. This fresh water fish is not considered to be endangered although, in some cases, individual stocks are under various degrees of stress mainly through habitat degradation and overharvest. Cover is important to trout, and they are more likely to be found where there are submerged rocks, undercut banks, and overhanging vegetation. The brown trout is a medium sized fish, growing to 20 kg or more in some localities although in many smaller rivers a mature weight of 1 kg (2 lb) or less is common. The current International Game Fish Association (IGFA) world "all tackle" record brown trout, 18.25 kg (40 pounds, 4 ounces), was caught in May of 1992 from the Little Red River, Arkansas by Howard "Rip" Collins. Brown trout may live for several years although, as with the Atlantic salmon, there is a high proportion of death of males after spawning and probably fewer than 20% of female kelts recover from spawning. Brown trout are active both by day and by night and are opportunistic feeders. I say they are lazy. While in fresh water rivers, the diet will frequently include invertebrates from the streambed, small fish, frogs, and insects flying near the water's surface. The high dietary reliance upon insect larvae, pupae, nymphs and adults is what allows trout to be a favoured target for fresh water fly fishing. I once saw a fresh water brown come up to the surface and swallow a small mouse on the Henry's Fork of the Snake River in Idaho.
The rainbow trout, aka redband trout, is a species of Pacific salmon native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. Fish which have gone to sea (including those returning for spawning) are known as steelhead, or ocean trout. The species has been introduced for food and trout fly fishing for sport to at least 45 countries, and every continent except Antarctica. In some of these locations they have had very serious negative impacts on upland native fish species. The freshwater form is called "rainbow trout" or "redband trout", based on the broad red band along their sides. After going to sea, their color changes, including loss of the red band, and they are called "steelhead". Fresh water Rainbow trout and steelhead have small black spots along their back, dorsal fin and caudal fin. Rainbows have a red or pink streak that runs from the gill cover to the caudal fin, inspiring their name. The color of a rainbow's back varies from blue or green to a yellow-green or brown. Steelhead usually lack the pink stripe and have chrome-colored sides. Fresh water Rainbow trout are distinguished from their cousins, the cutthroat trout by their short maxilla, which reaches to, but not past the rear margin of the eye. Rainbow trout also lack hyoid teeth, a feature present in cutthroat trout. When fly fishing for fresh water rainbow trout your catch will range from 30 to 45 cm (12 to 18 inches) in length with the best trout around 22 inches or more. Steelheads grow longer, ranging from 50 to 100 cm (20 to 40 inches) in length. Steelhead range in weight from 2.5 kg to 10 kg.
The cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki) is a species of freshwater fish in the salmon family (family Salmonidae) of order Salmoniformes. It is one of the many trout. Cutthroat trout are native to western North America. Some populations will live in the Pacific Ocean as adults and return to fresh water to spawn in the spring. These sea-run cutthroat trouts are very sought after in fly fishing. Some declare it the best trout fly fishing experience due to the cutthroat's tenacity to put up a fight. Cutthroat are similar to rainbow trout and will readily interbreed. Cutthroat trout have greenish backs with black spots and red marks in the bottom of their jaws. Cutthroat Trout are about 12 to 15 inches long. There are about 12 separate subspecies of cutthroat trout, including:
As you can see several subspecies of cutthroat trout are either extinct or threatened to extinction. This is why it is very important to exercise the best "catch and release" practices with care when fly fishing in rivers for any cutthroat trout. In the U.S. the best fresh water rivers for trout fly fishing for cutthroat trout are abundant in the western states as in the Henry's Fork and the South Fork of the Snake River.
The golden trout (Oncorhynchus aguabonita), is a species of freshwater fish in the salmon family (family Salmonidae). It is one of the trouts. These fish are commonly found at elevations of 10,000 feet (3,000 m) above sea level. Some evolutionary biologists consider the golden trout to be a subspecies of the rainbow trout. It is easy to understand, given the similarity of the golden trout to the redband trout. The golden trout has brilliant gold sides wih a red horizontal band and 10 dark oval marks called "parr marks" their fins have white edges. A typical adult will be up to 14 inches in length and averages 1 pound in streams, up to 11 pounds in weight in lakes.[citation needed] Preferred water temperature is between 58 and 62 Degrees Fahrenheit.[citation needed] The brilliant colors of the Golden Trout disappear if they are stocked at altitudes lower than 6,000 feet. Unlike other trout the Golden's parr marks persist throuought their adult life. The golden trout was designated as the state fish of California in 1947. Populations have been in steady decline for decades. As a result, the California department of fish and game signed an agreement with federal agencies in September 2004 to work on restoring back country habitat. Conservationists have also been attempting to introduce golden trout to other bodies of water, such as Mohave Lake in Nevada/Arizona. If you are ever lucky to catch one of these beautiful trout fly fishing you will neveer forget it. I remember hiking from Tom's place to Lake Edison with "Felicia Flycaster" and we caught one in a small stream and you could almost see through it. Trout fly fishing for golden trout in small high country rivers and streams can be one of the best fresh water trout to ever lay your eyes on.
Great Places to Go Fly Fishing for Trout . One of the many great places in the U.S. for trout fly fishing is Yellow Breeches Creek. It is located in the Southern part of Central Pennsylvania. On any day, you will be able to find many fishing "experts" spread across the entire stream. At the end the Yellow Breeches stream is quite small - only 20 feet wide in some places. The upper part of the stream can be accessed by the secondary roads. This section of the river stays the coolest most of the year. This is a great place for dry fly fishing. Another great place is Henry's Fork, located on one of the best trout fly fishing rivers in th U.S., the legendary Snake River Near Last Chance, Idaho. It is considered by many to be America's greatest trout fly fishing river. The reason is because of its rapid runs and pocket water. This river is home to large rainbow trout and the South Fork is home to some of the best fly fishing for cutthroat trout in the west. The opening day for trout fly fishing on this river is in mid-June. Among the states that have great places for trout fly fishing rivers are:
There are other states with great trout fly fishing rivers but the 12 listed above have some of the best trout fly fishing rivers in the U.S.
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