Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
Last Update/Review: August 6, 2002
This trout is an olive-green color with heavy black spotting over the length of the body. The adult fish has a red-colored stripe along the lateral line, from the gills to the tail. Rainbow trout in lakes are usually lighter colored or a more silvery color than those in streams.
In Alberta, this trout was originally found only in parts of the upper Athabasca River Basin and upper Peace River Basin. The Fish and Wildlife Division stocks rainbow trout in a variety of lakes across the province. Rainbow trout are easy to raise in hatcheries, and are a very hardy and active sport fish.
Wild rainbow trout spawn in the spring, but fish culturists have developed fall spawning races. These races allow fish hatcheries to raise young fish over the winter so they can be released at a catchable size in the spring. Rainbow trout can be caught on artificial flies, spoons and small spinners.
