Rainbow trout are the workhorse of New England's stocked trout fishery and, for most of us, the first trout we ever caught. State hatcheries put them into rivers, streams and ponds by the thousands each spring and fall, they bite readily, and they fight with fast runs and acrobatic jumps that make them a blast on light tackle or a fly rod. They are the perfect fish to learn on and a genuinely fun target for anyone.
How to identify them
Rainbows are silvery with a broad pink-to-red stripe along the flank, a white belly, and heavy black spotting that extends onto the tail. That pink stripe and peppered tail separate them at a glance from the halo-spotted brown and the worm-marked brook trout.
Where and when
Rainbows are primarily a stocked fish here, so the fishing follows the spring and fall stocking schedules. Freshly stocked fish concentrate near stocking access points and spread out over the following weeks. Some fish hold over and grow, and stocked ponds and lakes offer year-round action, including through the ice. State stocking reports are the shortcut to finding fresh fish.
Tip Right after a stocking, fish congregate and are easy; a week or two later they spread out and get pickier. Check the state stocking reports and time your trips to fresh fish, or fish a little more naturally for the ones that have wised up.
How to catch them
- Fly: nymphs, small streamers and dries on a 5-weight, rainbows are ideal for learning to nymph.
- Spin: inline spinners, small spoons and tiny jigs, classic and effective.
- Bait: for stocked-pond fish, dough bait, worms and salmon eggs are hard to beat under a float or on the bottom.
Eating and handling
Stocked rainbows are good eating, mild and pink-fleshed, and part of the point of the put-and-take fishery. If you are releasing, especially on special-regulation water or in warm conditions, keep them wet, handle them gently, and revive them fully before letting go.