Brown Trout

freshwater fish · invasive species · game fish · salmonids

Built for cold streams. Brown trout live in chilly rivers and streams with lots of oxygen. They need very clean, cool water to thrive, which is why you'll find them in mountain areas and northern regions.

Spotted survivors. These fish have beautiful brown and golden sides covered with dark spots and red halos. Their camouflage helps them hide in rocky streams and catch smaller fish and insects by surprise.

Spread around the world. People brought brown trout from Europe to rivers and lakes everywhere because people love to fish for them. In some places where they don't belong, they've become invasive and hurt other native fish.

Picky eaters. Brown trout are carnivorous, meaning they eat meat. They hunt smaller fish, insects, and crustaceans, and they're really good at spotting food moving in the water.

Upstream travelers. Many brown trout swim upstream to cold mountain streams to lay their eggs in gravel beds. After hatching, young trout stay hidden among rocks until they're big enough to fend for themselves.