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Rainbow Trout

Rainbow Trout

Rainbow Trout are not native to Louisiana waters. These cold-water fish from the Pacific Northwest cannot survive Louisiana's warm climate year-round and are exclusively present through winter stocking programs.

Scientific Name: Oncorhynchus mykiss

Physical Characteristics:
  • Rainbow Trout are beautifully colored fish with dark olive to bluish-green backs fading to silvery white undersides, covered in dark spots above the lateral line.
  • Their most distinctive feature is the pink to rosy red band extending from the gill plate to the anal fin, with white-edged fins.
  • Adult stream-dwelling rainbows typically measure 12-20 inches and weigh 1-4 pounds, though stocked fish in Louisiana ponds can grow larger due to abundant food and less current resistance.

What to know

Habitat Distribution

  • Originally from the Pacific Northwest.
  • In Louisiana, found exclusively in stocked community ponds during winter months.

Key Locations

  • Get Out & Fish! community ponds statewide including BREC Burbank Park in Baton Rouge, Southside Regional Park in Youngsville, Purple Heart Memorial Park in Ragley, Joe Brown Park in New Orleans, Zemurray Park in Hammond, Sidney Hutchinson Park in Walker, and Grambling City Park.

Specific Spots

  • Focus on the deepest areas of ponds where they seek cooler water refuge as temperatures rise.

Rainbow Trout FAQ

Answers from onWater's species guide.

What are the best lures and bait for Rainbow Trout in Louisiana?

Trout PowerBait in various colors (particularly bright orange and red), corn, nightcrawlers, red worms, mealworms, maggots, live minnows, and even colored mini-marshmallows. Small (1/8 to 1/4 ounce) Rooster Tail spinner baits, in-line spinners, and spoons.

When is the best time to fish for Rainbow Trout in Louisiana?

Winter stocking programs occur during winter months (late January through February). Fishing season is from late January through March.

How do you catch Rainbow Trout in Louisiana?

Carolina rigs with e.g.g sinkers and fluorocarbon leaders, and cork/bobber rigs with split shot sinkers for casting distance. When water is cold, target trout throughout the water column, but as temperatures rise, focus on the deepest areas of ponds where they seek cooler water refuge.

What do Rainbow Trout eat?

These opportunistic predators have varied diets including aquatic invertebrates like mayflies, stoneflies, caddisflies, and midges in their larval and adult forms, terrestrial insects such as ants, beetles, and grasshoppers, small fish, crayfish, and fish e.g.gs.

Where do Rainbow Trout live in Louisiana?

Originally from the Pacific Northwest. In Louisiana, found exclusively in stocked community ponds during winter months.

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