People have been fishing for fun for about five hundred years. What started out as a way to stay alive is now a popular hobby in North America and around the world. This has made people hungry for fishing tips and information about fishing in many different settings. Many people find it exciting and interesting to learn how to fish and about the different kinds of fish.
The most common fish in fresh water is the trout. They are as good as any other sport fish, and in most rivers and streams where they live, they are at the top of the food chain. Years ago, a good angler was judged by how many of these popular fish he could catch at once. Now, a smart angler uses "catch and release" methods to make sure there are always plenty of trout. Part of being a responsible fisherman is taking care of the sport and the fish populations for future generations.
"Brown trout" is the name for the trout fish that anglers try to catch the most often. Brown trout give anglers a lot to think about and test their fishing skills. The brown trout is a good fish for anglers because it often feeds on the surface. It is a cold-water fish that lives in lakes and streams. When the water is just right, it jumps around the most. The brown trout got its name from wealthy Englishmen who liked how hard the trout fought. The world record brown trout was caught in Arkansas in 1992 and weighed about 40 pounds.
One of the most popular trout-family fishes is actually not a trout at all. Scientists just found out, to their surprise, that the rainbow trout is a smaller version of the Pacific salmon. Rainbow trout are considered a peaceful fish despite their family heritage. They live in the stream with all the other fish. The brown trout likes slow-moving water and calm pools, while the rainbow trout likes fast-moving water with more oxygen. Because of this, the rainbow is a favourite of the fisherman.
There is another fish that looks like a trout but is not a trout. The Brooke trout, also called a "brookie," lives in the cooler streams of the northeastern US. It is related to the char. This makes it a cousin of the lake trout instead of a family member. The Brooke trout is a favourite of anglers because it only lives in wilderness areas. No matter where they are, fisherman can be sure that the water is clean and the environment hasn't been changed. People often say that the "brookie" is pretty but not always smart. Anglers praise them for how beautiful they are, but it's common knowledge that there are harder fish to catch. In Canada in 1918, the largest Brooke trout ever caught was a world record. In Ontario, Canada's Nipigon River, a "brookie" that weighed 14 pounds was caught.
Other types of trout are the red trout, which likes to hide in brambles and branches, and the lake trout, which lives in deeper water. Lake trout are protected by population control laws that require anglers to let go of fish that are a certain size. The lake trout's size shows whether or not it can spawn and lay fertilised eggs. With continued programmes to protect trout populations and teach people how to fish in a responsible way, trout will be around for many more generations.
