Rocky Mountain sunset at Sylvan Lake Park.

How To Catch Rainbow Trout In Lakes: Open Water Tactics 

Rainbow trout fill lakes across the United States, but that doesn’t make them an easy catch. Because of a lake’s vast area and depth, many anglers are overwhelmed before fishing begins.  After pinpointing a lake’s optimal location, anglers can catch rainbow trout from shore or a boat using bait, tackle, or flies.  Locating Rainbow Trout …

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Do Rainbow Trout Have Bones

Do Rainbow Trout Have Bones? Deboning Filets & Whole Trout

If you’re looking for an easy fish to eat, trout shouldn’t be your first pick. Rainbow trout are bony, with some people estimating that they have around 262 bones.  Unfortunately, these bones are delicate and sometimes challenging to detect. If you’re not careful, each bite might have a crunch.  Is Rainbow Trout Bony? People hesitate …

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A pro fisher proudly holds a big trout by a wintery river while having fun fly fishing.

Skamania vs. Rainbow Trout: Similarities And Differences 

If you’re disappointed about missing the spring steelhead run, there is still hope to catch chrome. People call that hope Skamania steelhead. Skamania is a steelhead strain that runs upriver during the summer rather than the spring.  What Is a Skamania Trout?  Similar to steelhead and, therefore, rainbow trout, distinguishing a Skamania trout can be …

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Rainbow trout swim in pure river.

Rainbow Trout vs. Brown Trout: A Tale of Two Species

If you’ve ever been trout fishing, chances are you fished for rainbow or brown trout. For a seasoned angler, identifying the two is very easy. But for a first-timer, knowing the difference between a “bow” and a “brownie” can be challenging. In fact, I used to carry pictures of trout to see the difference!  Rainbow …

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Trout swim in a river with rocks.

Are Rainbow Trout Freshwater Fish? Knowing A Bow’s Habitat

Rainbow trout are everywhere in the U.S. They fill lakes and rivers from the Great Lakes to the Ozarks to Oregon. This must mean they’re freshwater fish, right? Well, sort of.  Many people interchange rainbow trout with steelhead, making their freshwater status confusing. Rainbow trout and steelhead are genetically the same fish, but their lifestyles …

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Rainbow trout swims up close.

Are Rainbow Trout Rare? A Species’ Complicated Question

Rainbow trout are one of the most recognized trout species worldwide, and for good reason. They are more dispersed than all trout species. But assessing rainbow trout’s rarity is a two-part question. First, the answer depends on your definition of rainbow trout. Are we talking about native, wild, or stocked rainbow trout?  Second, the answer …

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