Brown Trout (Salmo Trutta)

Fish image created by Ron Pittard. © Copyright 2010 Windsor Nature Discovery, LLC. All rights reserved. Provided under agreement from Windsor Nature Discovery, LLC.

Brown Trout caught by Bryce Wiegel More Brown Trout photos.

Scientific Name: Salmo Trutta

Fish Family: Salmonidae

Other Names: For river and stream brown trout: Danish: baek¯rred; Finnish: tammukka, purotaimen; French: truite commune; German: bachforelle; Norwegian: bekkaure; Polish: pstrag potokowy; Russian: forel strumkova; Swedish: bŠckšring. For brown trout in lakes: Danish: s¯¯rred; Finnish: jarvitaimen; French: truite de lac; German: seeforelle; Polish: troc jeziorowa; Russian: forel ozernaya. For sea trout, or sea-run brown trout: Danish: hav¯rred; Dutch: zeeforel; French: truite de mer; Gaelic: breac; German: meerforelle; Italian: salmo trota; Norwegian: aure orret; Russian: losos taimen; Spanish: trucha marina; Swedish: šring

Identification:

Brown trout caught in Lake Michigan have an overall silvery color with “X” shaped markings on the back and upper half of their body, a squared tail, small and numerous spots on their head, the inside of their mouth white, and 12 or less rays in their anal fin.

Distribution:

Native to Europe and western Asia from Iceland to Afghanistan. Introduced into North America as early as 1883 (New York and Michigan). Now found throughout Canada and the United States from the Great Lakes eastward and from the Rocky Mountains west to the Pacific Ocean. Successfully stocked in the Wisconsin waters of Lake Michigan since 1966 and now common along the shore of Marinette south to Kenosha.

Spawning:

Spawining takes place around October and November. The female makes the next as the males defends the territory. The eggs hatch after 50-150 days depending on water temperatures. The colder the water the longer it takes.

State Brown Trout Records:

Illinois State Record:
36 lbs 12 ozs caught by Deva Vranek caught on Lake Michigan on June 22, 1997.

Indiana State Record:
25 lbs 0 ozs caught by Mitchell Boilek caught on Lake Michigan on January 1, 2001.

Iowa State Record:
15 lbs 6 ozs caught by Gerold Lewis caught on North Prairie Lake, Black Hawk County on June 1, 1995.

Michigan State Record:
34 lbs 9 ozs caught by Robert Henderson caught on Arcadia Lake on January 1, 1984.

Wisconsin State Record:
18 lbs 6 ozs caught on Geneva Lake, Walworth County on May 7, 1984.