Trout

Brown truchaPsalm trutta).

Rainbow troutOncorhynchus mykiss).

The trouts are fish of the Salmoninae subfamily, within the salmonid family; the name is used specifically for fish in three genera of that subfamily: Salmo, which includes the Atlantic species, Oncorhynchus, which includes the Pacific species, and Salvelinus.

Features

Trout are commonly found in cold, clean waters of rivers and lakes throughout North America, northern Asia, and Europe. Several species of trout were introduced in the 19th century to Patagonia. They have also been introduced to Australia and New Zealand, in addition to the Venezuelan Andes, Colombia Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru, by amateur fishermen, displacing native fish.

Trout fins are spineless, and all species have a small fatty fin on the back near the tail. Isolated populations present morphological differences. However, many of these groups do not show significant genetic divergence and are therefore considered by ichthyologists to be simply varieties of a much smaller number of species. The trout of the western United States is a good example of this. The Brook or brown trout, the aurora and the extinct silver trout have physical characteristics and coloration that allow them to be easily distinguished; genetic analysis shows, however, that it is a single species: Salvelinus fontinalis.

Habitat

Most trout are only found in fresh, cold water but a few, such as the steelhead, in English) (Oncorhynchus mykiss) —which is the same species as rainbow trout— spend their adult lives in the ocean and return to the river where they were born to spawn. This phenomenon is known as anadromous reproduction and is also observed in salmon, as well as in the European brown trout (Salmo trutta), some of whose populations spend part of their life in the sea, returning to the river to spawn. The latter are called Salmo trutta amorphous trutta (reo is its common name in Spain), while the populations that spend their entire living in the river are known as Salmo trutta amorphous fario (or common trout).

Food

Trout generally feed on soft invertebrates such as earthworms, or on insects, crustaceans, and roaches, although larger species of trout, such as brown or brown trout, prey on other fish. In his book My friends the trouts, Miguel Delibes declares having found a mouse in the stomach of a large specimen.

Trout that swim in streams feed on land animals, aquatic life, and flies. Most of their diet comes from macroinvertebrates, or animals that do not have backbones such as snails, worms, or insects. They also eat flies, and most people who try to use lures to fish for trout imitate flies because they are one of the most common trout that eats flies. Trout enjoy certain terrestrial animals, including insects such as grasshoppers. They also eat small animals such as mice when they fall (Although only large trout have mouths capable of eating mice). They also consume a diet of aquatic life such as minnows or crayfish. Trout have a diverse diet.

Sport fishing

Fishing trout. Painting by George Luks (1867-1933). Delaware Museum in Wilmington.

Trouts have a body full of spines, but their meat is very tasty. In addition, they fight tenaciously when fished with an angle, which is why they are highly prized for sport fishing. Due to their popularity, they are often raised in fish farms and later reintroduced into rivers, lakes and swamps, for fishing.

The main methods of capture involve the use of flies or spoons, as well as earthworms and other artificial lures. There are other baits that are highly appreciated by trout, such as larvae, although in Spain the use of animal larvae is especially prohibited in trout rivers, with significant financial penalties. There are also limitations on the quota of trout caught, which varies depending on their habitat, whether they have been repopulated or are native, and the type of preserve. In swamps or preserves repopulated specifically for sports use, the quota is higher and is set by the preserve itself. In open water the quota is much lower. There is a minimum measure of the fish for its capture, of obligatory compliance, to avoid the death of immature animals.

In Venezuela, the fishing season begins on March 16 and ends on September 30, after obtaining the sport fishing permit issued by the Ministry of People's Power for Agriculture and Land, National Institute of Fisheries and Aquaculture, considering the minimum capture size of 25 cm.

Species

Among the most important trout species are: brown trout (Salmo trutta), also called in Spain "common trout" because it is native to the country, rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), golden trout (Oncorhynchus aguabonita), the “Lahontan” cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii henshawi) and the “Bonneville” cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii clarkii). The following is a more extensive list of trout genera and species:

• Psalmthe salmon and trout of the Atlantic and the “old world”; they are sea fish and fresh water.
• OncorhynchusPacific salmon and trout; they are marine and freshwater fish.
• Psalm trutta, the common trout, brown trout or row; is the most common trout of the salmonid family.
• Oncorhynchus mykissthe rainbow trout; it is an eurihaline fish (of fresh water and sea).
• Salvelinus fontinalis, trucha pluminalis or trucha de creek; it is native to North America.
• Salvelinus alpinus, the alpine trout or arctic trout; it is an anadrome fish.
• Psalm platycephalusTurkey's trout; it's a freshwater fish.
• Psalm cettii, the trout of the Tyrrhenian Sea; it is a fresh water fish (distributed by the watersheds of the rivers near the Tyrrhenian Sea).
• Psalm marmoratus, the marmorata trout or marble trout; it is an eurihalino fish (from fresh water and sea).
• Lethal Psalm, the trout of Ohrid; it is a fish found in North Macedonia and Albania.
• Psalm trutta fario, the trucha fario; it is an eurihaline fish (of fresh water and sea).
• Psalm obtusirostristhe adritic trout; it is a fresh water fish.
• Psalm ischchanLake Sevan's trout; it's a freshwater fish.
• Acantholingua ohridanathe Albanian trout; it is an eurihaline fish (of fresh water and sea), and the only species of the genus Acantholingua.

Cooking uses

Trout is the least fatty of the oily fish (with only 3% fat) and contains omega 3 fatty acids.

• In the Spanish cuisine the trout is consumed, fresh, on the plate, “a la navarra”, smoked and baked; and in conserve it can be found as a trout in escabeche.