Ontario-Great Lakes Area Fact Sheets

Brown Trout

General Description

The brown trout is a member of the salmon family of fishes and has the following characteristics:

• an elongate, laterally compressed body and a long head;
• a rounded snout and a pronounced hook which develops on the lower jaw in mature males;
• in stream populations, the back, upper sides and the top of the head are brown becoming silvery on the sides with pronounced black spots and rusty-red spots on the sides;
• in large lakes or the sea, the overall body colour appearance is silvery and most of the spots are concealed; and
• the fins, except for the adipose fin which is an orange colour, are smokey, opaque and sometimes yellowish with some spots on the dorsal, adipose and caudal fins.

Distribution

The brown trout is native to Europe and western Asia. It was first introduced into Canadian waters in Quebec in 1890. Since then, successful introductions of the brown trout have been made in all provinces, except Prince Edward Island, Manitoba and the Northwest Territories.

Habitat and Life History

The brown trout is a cold-water species that was introduced mainly into stream or river habitats in Canada, although there are now a number of lake or sea-run populations. The habitat of brown trout is clear, cool, well-oxygenated streams and lakes. Brown trout spawn in late fall to early winter, from mid-October to January depending on location. The usual spawning site is in shallow, gravelly headwaters of streams or gravelly shallows of lakes. The female makes a shallow depression (redd) in the gravel into which the eggs are deposisted during spawning. When spawning is completed, the female covers the redd with gravel. The time of hatching and growth rate varies greatly with region and habitat. Brown trout habitat and spawning requirements are similar to the native brook trout, with which it is usually in competition.

Food Habits

Brown trout are carnivorous and feed on a variety of organisms, which includes aquatic and terrestrial insects, molluscs, crustaceans (especially crayfish), salamanders, frogs, rodents, and fishes.

Economic Importance

The brown trout has become increasingly popular as a game fish since it was introduced into Canadian waters in 1890. The brown trout can withstand less favourable environmental conditions, lives longer and grows bigger than the native brook trout.

Brown trout is the European relative of the atlantic salmon.

Fishing Facts

Brown trout can be hybridized with brook trout to produce a “tiger trout”.

Further Information

For further information, please contact your local DFO office: http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/oceans-habitat/habitat/aboutus-apropos/regions/arctic-arctique_e.asp?#1