To identify the brown trout, check for orange/red coloration on the adipose fin and a
lack of pink/rose stripe along the side of the body. In the Great Lakes, the fish's
overall coloring may be more silvery than brown.
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inland lake brown trout |
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Great Lakes brown trout |
Look for:
- more than 120 scales in lateral line
- usually many spots on gill cover
- rusty-red spots often on margin of adipose fin and sides of body
- no radiating rows of black spots on tail fin, which is usually entirely without spots
- reddish brown spots on sides of body except in large lake-run individuals
- Pelvic and anal fins usually without white edging
- Usually 10 branchiostegal rays
Complete brown trout
profile.
Main trouts and salmons page.
Sources: "Fishes of Isle Royale," by K.F. Lagler and C. R.
Goldman, Isle Royale Natural History Association, 1982.
Fishes of Wisconsin, by George C. Becker, University of Wisconsin
Press, 1983.
Freshwater Fishes of Canada, by W.B. Scott and E.J. Crossman, Fisheries Research
Board of Canada, 1973.
