Trout and Salmon

Trout are closely related to Salmon. Most live in rivers or freshwater lakes entirely. Other species of trout such as the Rainbow trout may spend two or three years at sea before returning to fresh water to spawn or may live out their lives in fresh water much like salmon do. A steelhead trout refers to a trout that spends time in the ocean usually returning to freshwater to spawn after two to three years at sea; rainbow trout and steelhead trout are the same species.

Native to Alaska, Canada, and the Great Lakes area trout are big, solitary fish and are very fast swimmers. They have been introduced to other deep-water lakes, and are widely dispersed within North America. Trout that live in a variety of different environments can have many different colors and patterns. For the most part, these patterns and colors form as camouflage, depending on the environment they are in; Their colors will change as the fish moves to different habitats. The life span of most trout is about 20 years, however Rainbow trout can only live up to 7 years. They can weigh up to 66 pounds but grow slowly.

The Lake Trout is a carnivore, eating small crustaceans like shrimp, insects, fish, and even some tiny mammals. Young lake trout eat plankton, insects, shrimp, and small aquatic invertebrates.

The Rainbow Trout

Tutorial | Illustrating a Trout

The Steelhead Trout

Salmon

Salmon are anadromous fish – they live in the sea but reproduce in fresh water (in a stream or lake). They are amazing fish that live in fresh water during their early life, mature in salt water, and then return to fresh water to breed (and then die). Some salmon (sockeye and chinooks) travel up to 1,000 miles (1,600 km) upstream in order to spawn. Salmon live most of their life in the sea, but when they are mature and ready to breed, they enter fresh water to spawn (reproduce), traveling to a stream or pond high in oxygen. The female digs a nest in the gravel (called a redd) with her tail. She then pushes her thousands of eggs into the nest and the male milks the eggs, fertilizing them. Most salmon die after spawning. 1

Student Work

Writing Content

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