Brown Trout
Brown Trout in Arizona are non-native fish introduced from Europe in 1931. They are found in streams and some lakes in the White Mountains and around the Mogollon Rim country.
- Distinguished by their olive-brown coloration with yellowish-brown sides, featuring orange or red spots.
- Their tail fin is usually unspotted or vaguely spotted and squared off, with an adipose fin that's typically orange or reddish.
Fishing in Arizona
Salt River
Verde River
Theodore Roosevelt Lake
Gila River
Agua Fria River
Canyon Lake
Saguaro Lake
Bartlett Reservoir
Apache Lake
Lake Pleasant
What to know
Habitat Distribution
- Found in streams and some lakes in the White Mountains and around the Mogollon Rim country.
- In Arizona's Colorado River system through Glen Canyon and the Grand Canyon.
Key Locations
- Lee's Ferry on the Colorado River, streams in the White Mountains, Oak Creek, and various high-elevation lakes that are stocked or have reproducing populations.
Specific Spots
- Often associated with deep undercut banks and pools choked with woody debris.
- In lakes, target the transition zone where water drops from 6 to 10 feet deep.
Brown Trout FAQ
Answers from onWater's species guide.
What flies work for Brown Trout in Arizona?
Simi Seal Leech on a jig hook with tungsten bead as the bottom fly, topped with a Prince Nymph or Pheasant Tail with orange tungsten bead. Hoppers or large caddis with a larger nymph or leech underneath, or strip streamers and baitfish patterns.
When is the best time to fish for Brown Trout in Arizona?
Prime fishing periods are spring during runoff, fall after spawning (mid to late October through November), and during monsoon storms in summer.
How do you catch Brown Trout in Arizona?
In spring runoff conditions, fish without strike indicators using heavily weighted flies. Dead drift these flies ticking the bottom, then strip back as strikes often come on the retrieve. During summer monsoons, fish when water pushes up and becomes off-colored from rain, using the same dead-drifting technique.
What do Brown Trout eat?
Their diet consists of aquatic and terrestrial insects when young, but they become increasingly piscivorous as adults, readily eating other fish including Rainbow Trout and native species.
Where do Brown Trout live in Arizona?
Found in streams and some lakes in the White Mountains and around the Mogollon Rim country. In Arizona's Colorado River system through Glen Canyon and the Grand Canyon.
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