Conserving,
protecting and restoring coldwater fisheries and
their watersheds
Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
Other
Common Names
Little
Stony Creek
Trout Unlimited
Chapter 652
rainbow
Identification
The
variety of rainbows has resulted in a
variety of colors, hues and markings.
Normally the back is olive-green with a
silvery cast on its sides fading to a
silvery white belly. Apinkish or light rosy
red band extends from its cheek to near its
tail. Normally, they are well spotted with
black spots, but vary from large spots to
tiny specks to no markings at all.
Best
Fishing
Well-established in streams of the
southwestern region of the state and are
found in a myriad of mountain streams in
western Virginia. Lakes: Moomaw. Rivers and
Streams: Smith River, Elk Creek, Dan River,
Potts Creek, Cripple Creek, Roanoke River,
Little Reed Island Creek, Jackson River,
Crooked Creek and Big Tumbling Creek, and
many others on both sides of the Blue Ridge.
Some good wild streams are Whitetop Laurel,
Fox Creek, and the South Fork Holston River.
Fishing
Techniques
Hits dry
flies, wet flies, streamers, nymphs, small
spinners and spinner-bucktails, spoons, as
well as worms, live nymphs, minnows and
salmon eggs. Hatchery trout readily take
kernel corn and colored marshmallows.
Berkeley Power Baits that give off a scent
and can be shaped on the hook are used
extensively by anglers.
Feeding
Habits
Eats a
variety of aquatic and terrestrial life.
Large rainbows will eat small fish, but
their main diet is invertebrates. In very
cold climates, they ingest minute aquatic
organisms through fine gill-rakers.
Habitat
Originally native to the western slope of
the Rockies. Successfully introduced into
eastern streams including those in Virginia.
Most Virginia rainbows are in fast flowing,
larger streams and constitute the backbone
of the Department�s stocking program.
Spawning
Habits
The
majority of rainbows in Virginia are stocked
fish. There are a good number of wild fish
in Mount Rogers Area streams. When spawning
occurs it is at the lower ends of pools or
in riffles where the female digs out a
spawning bed or �redd.� Rainbows in their
natural state spawn in spring.
