subject: Successfully Catching Rainbow Trout [print this page] The rainbow trout of Alaska are widely sought after as the trophy of a successful day of fishing. They are a beautiful, large fish that makes an excellent dinner.
An even rarer and more prized trophy of Alaska is the Leopard Rainbow Trout. The Leopard is found in the Alagnak River.
The leopard trout are remembered for their brilliant, thick, red or pink stripes running from head to tail. They also have a defining set of black spots sprinkled across their skin.
The leopard stands out from normal rainbows because of the bright colors that decorate the gills and their ability to grow even larger than the typical trout. Their larger size makes them predators of the waters and fantastic fighting fish.
The leopard rainbow is generally 16-24 inches long, but it is fairly common for them to reach up to 30 inches in length. These fish are also fairly common within the Alaskan borders.
Decent anglers can catch up about 10 to 15 leopard rainbow trout in one day. Meanwhile, professional fly fishing clients can catch one of the larger fish.
It is much easier to catch one of the larger fish in the beginning of June during the week. Surprisingly, genetic studies have showed that the rainbow is more closely related to the salmon rather than the brown trout. The rainbow trout itself is part of the salmonid family.
It is found throughout the Pacific Ocean, Asia, and North America. However, it was introduced in more than 45 countries.
Due to the fact that the rainbow is a predator, it has occasionally affected other native fish very poorly. However, the rainbow does have a very broad diet.
The rainbow will eat anything it can, which is exactly contrary to the myth that rainbow trout are picky eaters. Despite their vicious nature, they are not as vicious as the brown or lake trout, which are also known as the Alaskan char.
Young rainbow trout fish are even carnivorous and eat insects, other eggs, crustaceans, and smaller fish. They can manage eating fish that are a third of their length.
Occasionally, the lake variety of rainbow will eat what is known as the planktonic debris. They will also clean up the rivers by eating the carcasses of dead fish such as the Alevin, Fry, and Smolt.
This lake variety of rainbow trout has faced a decline in population recently as a result of human activities and other natural causes. Two of the sub-varieties of lake rainbows are labeled as endangered and eight are threatened.
There are many successful angling methods that are commonly used to catch the rainbow in Alaska. However, fly fishing is generally the most popular method.
Casting and trolling with spinners, spoons, and small crank baits follow closely in choice methods for catching rainbow trout. The traditional use of live baits, such as night crawlers, trout worms, and minnows also produce successful results.
There is one variety of fish that is fairly rare because it has been cultivated from a mutation in the trout gene pool. These fish have a more yellow color and are missing the green and black spots.
However, they do still have the defining red or pink horizontal stripe. This new type of fish is referred to as the Golden rainbow trout.
Be careful not to mix up the golden trout, which has a long and well-developed history, with this new variety. It is a common mistake among novice fishermen.
Rainbows are a high demand ingredient for many western dinner dishes. It is especially delectable if it is served fresh and caught from the wild regions of Alaskan nature.
The unique flavor of rainbows that hits of nuts is the perfect center piece for any dining situation. The rainbow trout from farmed areas tend to have somewhat more of an earthy flavor, which makes the wild rainbows even more desirable.
Whatever your reason for fishing, it is sure to be a rewarding experience. Rainbows are as delicious to eat as they are fun to catch.
