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How to catch Rainbow trout

Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum, 1792)

About Rainbow trout fishing

The rainbow trout is a streamlined salmonid originating from cold Pacific watersheds of North America and Asia, widely established across European freshwaters through stocking programmes. Adults display an olive-green back shading to silver flanks, marked by a distinct pink to crimson lateral stripe and fine black spots across the body and tail. This benthopelagic species inhabits clear, well-oxygenated rivers, streams, and cool lakes down to moderate depths, tolerating a range of temperatures up to ten degrees Celsius. They feed primarily on aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates, small fish, and drifting insects, executing short spawning migrations into gravel-bottomed tributaries during spring. Anglers prize this game fish for its acrobatic fights and strong stamina, making it a cornerstone of recreational sport fishing throughout its introduced European range.

  • Difficulty

    Medium

  • Average size

    60 cm TL

  • Market value

    Low

  • Habitat

    Freshwater, Brackish, Saltwater

  • Season

    Spring, Summer, Autumn

  • Also known as

    Baiser, Baja California rainbow trout, Bow, Brown trout, Coast angel trout, Coast rainbow trout

Rainbow trout

Adipose fin

Small fleshy fin located between dorsal and caudal fins.

Black spots

Numerous small black spots are scattered across the body and fins.

Pink stripe

A wide pink to red iridescent stripe runs along the midbody.

Rainbow trout fishing facts

Characteristics

  • Typical size

    60 cm TL (max 123.2 cm TL )

  • Typical weight

    1.5 kg (max 25.8 kg )

  • Preferred temperature

    1.3–10 °C

  • Depth

    0–200 m

  • Longevity

    11 years

  • Body shape

    Fusiform / Normal

  • Commercial?

  • Vulnerability score

    42.7

Best hours

  • Dawn

    First light

    Peak

  • Morning

    After sunrise

    Active

  • Midday

    High sun

    Low

  • Afternoon

    Late day

    Active

  • Dusk

    Last light

    Peak

  • Night

    After dark

    Low

When to fish for Rainbow trout

01
January
02
February
03
March
04
April
05
May
06
June
07
July
08
August
09
September
10 Now
October
11
November
12
December

How to catch Rainbow trout

Tips for catching Rainbow trout

Targeting rainbow trout requires matching natural invertebrate and small fish prey using techniques adapted to clear water conditions and varying current speeds. In rivers and streams, presenting weighted nymphs or dry flies upstream allows a natural dead drift through riffles and runs where fish hold for food. When fishing deeper lakes or reservoirs, spinning with small metal spoons or feathered spinners near drop-offs and weed beds generates reaction strikes from cruising fish. Early morning and late afternoon hours provide the best sport during spring and autumn when lower light levels bring fish closer to the surface to feed actively. Polarised sunglasses help locate subsurface structure and resting fish holding behind boulders or in deeper pools.

Other names for Rainbow trout

Local and alternate names anglers use for Rainbow trout.

  • Baja California rainbow trout
  • Rainbow trout
  • Steelhead trout
  • Steelhead
  • Salmon trout
  • Hardhead
  • Coast rainbow trout
  • Coast range trout
  • Coast angel trout
  • Brown trout
  • Bow
  • Kamchatka salmon
  • Kamchatka steelhead
  • Kamchatka trout
  • Redband trout
  • Kamloops
  • Kamloops trout
  • Summer salmon

Best equipment to catch Rainbow trout

Compare fishing methods for Rainbow trout — sized kit for each technique.

Note: Typical fish is 1.5 kg Our algorithm will suggest the best equipment for you based on this weight.

Best lures and baits for Rainbow trout

Ranked lures and natural baits from every method, best first.

How Rainbow trout migrates — Anadromous

Grows at sea and swims into rivers to spawn. Target the run as fish leave the ocean and push upstream.

How Rainbow trout migrates — Anadromous 1. Eggs: Laid in fresh water, usually well up the river. 2. Juveniles: Grow in the river, then head downstream to the sea. 3. Adults: Feed and grow at sea. 4. Spawners: Run back up the river to spawn.
Fresh water Estuary Sea

1 Eggs

Fresh water

Laid in fresh water, usually well up the river.

2 Juveniles

→ Sea

Grow in the river, then head downstream to the sea.

3 Adults

Sea

Feed and grow at sea.

4 Spawners

→ Fresh water

Run back up the river to spawn.

Some populations never go to sea and complete the cycle in rivers and lakes.

Hover or tap a number to read each stage.

Diet and behavior of Rainbow trout

Prey and predators of Rainbow trout

Prey is what Rainbow trout eats. Predators are the animals that eat it.

That is how it feeds, and how it is hunted.

Prey

What it eats

Predators

What hunts it

Where Rainbow trout lives

Lives near the bottom but swims in the water just above it. Cover the lower column, not only the mud.

Habitats
Freshwater, Brackish, Saltwater
Depth zone
Sublittoral, Bathyal
0–200 m
Water column
Benthopelagic
Just above the bed

Where this species lives

Where to fish for Rainbow trout

Mapped fishing spots where Rainbow trout is recorded — open a pin for access and methods.

Lake Pupuke

AucklandAucklandNew Zealand

Ōtūkaikino Creek

ChristchurchCanterburyNew Zealand

Purau Stream

ChristchurchCanterburyNew Zealand

Styx River

ChristchurchCanterburyNew Zealand

Kaikorai Stream

DunedinOtagoNew Zealand

Lindsay Creek

DunedinOtagoNew Zealand

Southern Reservoir

DunedinOtagoNew Zealand

Tomahawk Creek

DunedinOtagoNew Zealand

Tomahawk Lagoon

DunedinOtagoNew Zealand

Mōhaka River

HastingsHawke's BayNew Zealand