Rainbow trout has spineless fins. Below the pelvic fin is a protrusion that is triangular in shape. They have very small scales and their underbody is dark with numerous darker spots. However, down the side is a red stripe making identification easy. The size of the rainbow trout can extend to fifteen inches and weigh over one and a half pounds.

Rainbow trout are often the most sought after trout by anglers. They are well known for their very favorable meat and ability to put up a fight. This trout makes fishing fun for not only sport but also a very good fish to eat.

Because of its popularity the Rainbow Trout has been introduced to many locations within the United States. They are farmed throughout the world. These hatcheries have exploded in number since the 1950s. Chile produces the most rainbow trout out of all the countries.

Although it normally does better in cold weather conditions they can be found in some areas of the southern states where it can get very hot. Once the rainbow trout has gotten large enough it moves to lakes to gain more size so it can return to breed.

Rainbow trout can be caught with minnows, worms and lures. They happen to be the most popular species of fly fishermen. They can be caught with spinners, crank baits, and spoons. Rainbow trout tend to eat anything they can get to.

There is a salt water version of the rainbow trout that is named the steelhead trout. However, even though they are in different environments the fishing for them is much the same. They do not tend to fall for the fly fishing variations as much as their counterparts.

Being that fishing for rainbow trout is done during the colder weather you need to make sure you have the proper supplies. Make sure you bring plenty of clothes for layers and measures to maintain heat. An extra change of clothing is always advisable in case you get wet.

Rainbow trout can be found in many different lakes. Most anglers like to fish rainbow trout in both natural, and artificial lakes, where the fish were stocked and cultured by local authorities. However, fishing rainbow trout in natural small and medium-sized rivers with traditional spinning gear is a different experience altogether. The gear and techniques of fishing rainbow trout in the river differs slightly than fishing in the lakes.

For rainbow trout fishing in rivers different baits could be used but the live worm bait works the best. One trout fishing secret is the bait, and nothing works better than a live worm.

It is also important that you use drift fishing techniques to have the best result in the river. You have to allow your bait to drift with the current, as well as bounce at the bottom of the river, so you have to attach a lighter weight to achieve this result. Adding the correct quantity of weight is vital for the drift action.

To catch medium and larger size rainbow trout, you have to concentrate in that area of the river where there is a deeper pool at the bottom. This is the place where larger rainbow trout are most likely to be found. Deploy the drift fishing strategy with a live worm bait to fish out all the bigger rainbow trout in the river.

Another important issue must be noted to achieve the best results in rainbow trout fishing in rivers, it is vital to select the most appropriate fishing rod, reel and fishing line and make sure they are as light as possible. An ultra-light action rod and four to six-pound fishing line would gear you up for your drift action. Using fishing gear as light as possible is one of the most important secrets to catch rainbow trout in the shallow rivers. The drift and bouncing of the bait at the bottom may cause your line to occasionally get hooked when you pull. You have to beware of this too! If you have any suggestions further about catching Rainbow Trout in shallow rivers, or anywhere, please leave a comment below. Our goal is to help everyone become the best Rainbow Trout fisherman they can be. We hope you will help.

A favorite technique of springtime lake trout anglers is to throw out a dead baitfish,prop the rod on a forked stick, then sit back and wait for a bite. When a laker picks up the bait, it often runs 20 to 30 yards before it stops. A fisherman that forgets to open the bail may suddenly see his rod fly from the stand and disappear into the depths.

Just after ice-out, lakers seek shallower, warmer water. Shore fishermen cast with dead smelt or sucker meat on slip-sinker rigs. Because lake trout are scavengers, the bait should be fished on the bottom.

Like most other trout species, lakers shy away from heavy line. Use monofilamint no heavier than 10-pound test. Some fishermen switch to 4-pound line when fishing is slow.

Dead baitfish are not used as often in the summer because trout are usually scattered and may be suspended off bottom. However, fishermen frequently use sucker miat or miat from other baitfish to tip 1-to-2 ounce bucktail jigs.

If you run short of bait, open the stomach of a freshly caught lake trout. Remove any ciscoes or other baitfish. These soft, partly-digested fish are just as effective as fresh bait.

How to Rig a Smelt:

Step #1 of 3
Thread a 1/2 ounce egg sinker onto 8-pound mono.

Step #2 of 3
Add a barrel swivel and 3 feet of 6-pound leader.

Step #3 of 3
Insert a #2 hook through the lips of a 6-to-8 inch smelt.

I for one love trout fishing and it really does not matter if they are lake or stream trout as long as they will measure up to my frying pan.

As trout grow larger, they eat fewer insects and crustaceans, and more fish. All trout eat some minnows, but a big brown relies on fish for most of its diet. If minnows are scarce, a brown trout will not hesitate to eat its own kind.

A fisherman using baitfish stands a better chance of hooking a big brown trout than an angler using other live baits or artificial flies. Stream fishermen catch browns on lip-hooked shiners, dace and fatheads weighted with only a small split-shot.

On some mid-western streams, anglers seeking trophy browns still-fish deep pools with 4-to-6 inch sucker fillets. They leave the skin on to keep the fillets on the hook.

Following ice-out, Great Lakes fishermen catch brown trout as large as 25 pounds. Some anglers still-fish or slow-troll with alewives and smelt in shallow bays and near power plants discharges. In summer and fall, browns and rainbows school around Great Lakes piers and tributaries, where they are caught on slip-sinker rigs with alewives.

Sculpins take many trout in western streams. They can be lip-hooked or fished with a double needle hook. Plug-cut herring are widely used for huge rainbows in high-altitude lakes of the west.

How to rig a Sculpin:

Step #1 of 3
Tie 6-pound monofilament line to the clip of a #4 or #6 double needle sculpin hook.

Step #2 of 3
Push the tapered end of the hook into the fishes vent, through the body and out the mouth.

Step #3 of 3
Attach the clip to the hole in the shank to complete the rig. The hook should swing freely on the clip.

Remember to sharpen your hooks.