Trouts of Western Canada...

There seems to be quite a few 'sub-species', 14 to be exact for the genus 'Oncorhynchus', the Salmon family, specifically the 'Cutthroat Trout'..'Oncorhynchus clarkii' and do to this, I'll only post one specie that is abundant here in the Southern area of Alberta Canada.


..So let's begin with the 'Cutthroat trout'..Oncorhynchus clarkii
These trout are native to the mountain and foothill streams of southern Alberta

..these specimens were caught/released this Sept.,past, by 'CF8'..an angler in one of my forums I belong to.

..next on line the 'Golden Trout'..Oncorhynchus mykiss aguabonita
is a sub-specie of the rainbow trout. In Alberta there are 5 high mountain lakes that were planted with pure strain goldens in the late 50s, and there have been several stockings since.

..next we draw our attention to the 'Brown Trout'..Salmo trutta
And here, in Alberta there are two distinct types of browns, both of which were introduced in the eighteen hundreds, where they have become one of the most sought after trouts in Alberta. The Bow River has been made as a world famous brown trout haven, where people from all over the globe have come to fish, giving them an average size of 20" plus.

..The most common brown is the 'Scottish brown'..

..however, the most colourful brown is the 'German brown'..

  

 
..next we'll introduce the 'Brook trout'..Salvelinus fontinalis..
is actually a 'Char', the common English name given to all members of the genus 'Salvelinus'..

..next will be the 'Bull trout'..Salvelinus confluentus..
Native to Alberta and is the official provincial fish, this specie is 'protected' with a zero possession limit..you must release all Bull trout you catch!

                           

Bull Trout  from Graham Styler on Vimeo.

..next I'll add the 'Dolly Varden' ..Salvelinus malma..
have given many anglers around the world an unforgettable fight in rivers above the polar circle. This queen of rivers is a fish for people who wants a gourmet meal.

..and now the 'Rainbow trout'..Oncorhynchus mykiss..

..there are six native sub-species of rainbow trout in the West and Pacific Ocean. The sub-species are distributed throughout the drainage system of the Pacific Coast from Alaska to Mexico, and the eastern coast of Asia.

 

..now comes one of the most sought after trouts by all anglers, the 'Steelhead Trout..Oncorhynchus mykiss irideus..

Steelhead trout live both in the rivers [where they do their spawning] and part time in the ocean where they grow, before re-entering the rivers where they were born. The Steelie is noticeably different then the river rainbows in both size and colour. They are by far prized by anglers for their fighting nature when caught on a fishing line.