Brook trout

Identification

• Brook trout have worm-like markings (vermiculations) on the back and red spots, sometimes with blue halos, on the sides. The lower fins have a white front edge, then black, then reddish orange.[1]
  What the source says

  “Color variations include olive, blue-gray or black above with a silvery white belly and wormlike markings (vermiculation pattern) along the back. They have red spots sometimes surrounded by bluish halos on their sides. The lower fins have a white front edge followed by black and the remainder being reddish orange.”

• In California, the brook trout is the only trout with wavy, maze-like lines (vermiculations) on its back and upper sides.[2]
  What the source says

  “Only trout in California with vermiculation pattern (wavy, maze-like lines) on back and upper sides.”

• Brook trout belong to the char family and are often confused with bull trout. Brook trout have vermiculations and black spots on the dorsal fin, which bull trout lack.[3]
  What the source says

  “Closely related to and commonly misidentified as brook trout (both are members of the char family). A distinguishing characteristic is the lack of black spots on the dorsal fin. Do not have vermiculations that occur on brook trout.”

Habitat and range

• The native range covers much of eastern Canada, and south through the Atlantic, Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins to Minnesota and, along the Appalachians, northern Georgia.[4]
  What the source says

  “Native Range: Most of eastern Canada from Newfoundland to western side of Hudson Bay; south in Atlantic, Great Lakes, and Mississippi River basins to Minnesota and (in Appalachian Mountains) northern Georgia (Page and Burr 1991).”

• Brook trout are native to Michigan and are its state fish. They live in cold, spring-fed streams, rivers, lakes and the Great Lakes, often near rocks, logs and undercut banks.[1]
  What the source says

  “The brook trout is native to Michigan's waters and has been designated the state fish of Michigan. They can be found alongside rocks, under cover of logs and undercut banks, in cold water, spring-fed streams, rivers, lakes and in the Great Lakes.”

Life history

• Brook trout generally spawn in October and November, choosing gravel riffles in spring-fed streams, seepage areas of ponds, lake shores with swift currents, or groundwater seeps.[1]
  What the source says

  “Spawning generally occurs in the months of October and November. Mature brook trout seek a gravel riffle area in spring-fed streams, seepage areas of ponds, lake shores with swift currents or groundwater seepages.”

• Brook trout eat large numbers of mayflies, stoneflies and other aquatic insects, as well as land insects, but will feed on whatever is most available.[1]
  What the source says

  “Brook trout have been described as voracious feeders with the potential to consume large numbers seasonally available mayflies, stoneflies and other aquatic insects as well as terrestrial insects. However, they will often feed on whatever is most readily available like zooplankton, crustaceans, worms and fish.”

Status, protections and rules

Legal status and rules as the agency stated them on the date read. Rules change: check the current regulations for the water.

• In Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the brook trout is the only native trout species.[5]
  What the source says

  “The brook trout is the only native species of trout in the Smokies.”

• Great Smoky Mountains National Park reopened brook trout fishing in 2006 after a 30-year ban.[6]
  What the source says

  “As a result of research and successful restoration efforts, park management reopened brook trout fishing in 2006 after a 30-year ban.”

Fishing for it: what the agencies say

What agencies and extension services say about catching it, with the source for each line.

• Brook trout bite readily on worms, crickets, grasshoppers, wet and dry flies, spoons and spinners. Look for them in deep holes and under logs or overhanging banks.[1]
  What the source says

  “Brook trout are ready biters and they can be caught by using various baits and lures including worms, crickets, grasshoppers, wet and dry flies, spoons and spinners. They can be found in deep holes and under the cover of logs or overhanging banks in many streams”

Water temperature

Warm water stresses trout, char and salmon. These are the published temperature lines we show on every gauge, chosen state first: the state agency's own where it publishes one, otherwise federal guidance (said so). Each water page applies them to the gauge's live reading; the flow and temperature checker does the same for any gauge.

Where to fish for brook trout

Our 291 water pages whose agency species list names brook trout (each list links to the agency page it comes from). A species missing from a list does not mean it is absent: many agencies publish no list for a water.

Destination hubs

Hubs that list one of these waters, or that a water page is near: each has guides, shops, licences and trip planning for the area.

• The Forks & the upper Kennebec, Maine12 brook trout waters
• State College, Penns Creek & Spring Creek, Pennsylvania9 brook trout waters
• Island Park & the Henry's Fork, Idaho7 brook trout waters
• Bend & the Deschutes, Oregon6 brook trout waters
• Ennis & the Madison Valley, Montana6 brook trout waters
• Rangeley Lakes, Maine6 brook trout waters
• Bozeman & Livingston, Montana5 brook trout waters
• Missoula, Montana4 brook trout waters
• Roscoe & the Catskills, New York4 brook trout waters
• Carlisle & the Cumberland Valley, Pennsylvania3 brook trout waters
• Jackson Hole, Wyoming2 brook trout waters
• The Driftless: Viroqua & Westby, Wisconsin2 brook trout waters

Keep exploring

• Bull troutSpecies
• Lake troutSpecies
• Brown troutSpecies
• Northern Rockies hatch & season chart8 sourced rows
• Pacific Northwest hatch & season chart10 sourced rows
• California hatch & season chart19 sourced rows
• Southwest and Colorado hatch & season chart8 sourced rows
• All speciesIndex

Sources

Every fact on this page is our paraphrase of the page cited beside it, read on the date shown. Rules and seasons change: check the agency's current regulations before you fish.

1. Brook trout Michigan Department of Natural Resources, read Oct 24, 2026.
2. Fishing for Brook Trout (non-native) California Department of Fish and Wildlife, read Oct 24, 2026.
3. Fishing for Bull Trout (native) California Department of Fish and Wildlife, read Oct 24, 2026.
4. Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) - Species Profile U.S. Geological Survey, Nonindigenous Aquatic Species program, read Oct 24, 2026.
5. Fishing - Great Smoky Mountains National Park (U.S. National Park Service) National Park Service, read Oct 24, 2026.
6. Fish - Great Smoky Mountains National Park (U.S. National Park Service) National Park Service, read Oct 24, 2026.