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In every sport, there are certain well known targets. With fishing, the much herald trout is definite deserving of being on the list of most popular fish. Ah, but what is a trout? Turn out there are many different types you will find out on the water.

Trout are one of the more hardy and common fish you will find. There are a wide variety of types which we will cover, but they have common characteristics. They tend to have fins without spines and a small fin along the back near the tail area.

Saying that trout are found everywhere is not an overstatement. They originate in Asia and are now common in the US, Canada and Europe. Over time, they have also been introduced down under and in other areas of the world.

If trout are commonly found, the brown trout is the most common variation found. It is a freshwater fish for the most part, and prefers aerated water that is a bit warmer than usually anticipated for most trout. This means shoreline areas and active moving water.

If you love to use flies, the cutthroat is probably the trout at the top of your list. A variation of the salmon trout tree, it is found mostly in Canada and the northern US. The fish is so varied that it is difficult to describe it. Colors, size and characteristics vary.

The rainbow trout is a standard bearer in the trout family. It is a variety of the salmon, and has been introduced into over 45 countries. Rainbow trout are known by a red stripe on their side. They like cooler water and are excellent eating.

The rainbow has evolved based on its environment. The saltwater version is known as the famous steelhead trout, but that is not the only difference. Steelheads are much bigger on average and have no stripe on their side. All and all, an excellent game fish.

When it comes to fishing, there is something tempting about finding the biggest fish in a species. The mackinaw is the fish in the trout family. Found primarily in the Great Lakes, the biggest caught to date was over sixty-five pounds.

While the above represents a solid breakdown of the various trout you will run into, there is a far bigger selection in nature. Many of the species have different strains that have evolved over time, so look for the tell tale signs.