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Brook Trout

Brook Trout

Brook Trout are Vermont's only native stream-dwelling trout and the state's official fish, though technically they're a char rather than a true trout.

Wild Brook Trout populations are found throughout Vermont in nearly every small, cold stream, with over 3,800 miles of streams and rivers managed for trout.

Scientific Name: Salvelinus fontinalis

Also known as squaretail

Physical Characteristics:
  • These beautiful fish have dark olive-green backs with distinctive worm-like markings called vermiculation, red spots surrounded by blue halos, and brilliant orange bellies that become especially vibrant in spawning males.
  • Their fins are pink or reddish with white leading edges, and they lack the forked tail of other trout species.
  • In Vermont, Brook Trout are typically slow-growing and short-lived, rarely exceeding 3-4 years of age.
  • Most headwater mountain streams produce fish of only 6-7 inches, though in more productive waters like lakes and ponds, they can reach over 20 inches and weigh more than 5 pounds.

What to know

Habitat Distribution

  • Nearly every small, cold stream supports populations.
  • In larger waters, they often coexist with non-native brown and rainbow trout.

Key Locations

  • Productive Vermont waters include the White, Cold, Mill, Mettawee, Deerfield, and Ottauquechee rivers.
  • They're most commonly encountered in small headwater streams and beaver ponds, particularly in the Green Mountains and Northeast Kingdom.

Specific Spots

  • In streams, focus on deeper pools, areas with surface turbulence, undercut banks, and spots with overhead cover like boulders, vegetation, or fallen trees.
  • Look for areas out of the main current with water speeds around 0.5 feet per second.
  • In lakes, target shallow, spring-fed areas less than 15-20 feet deep.

Brook Trout FAQ

Answers from onWater's species guide.

What are the best lures and bait for Brook Trout in Vermont?

Live bait options include earthworms, wax worms, crickets, small minnows, grasshoppers, and fish e.g.gs. For artificials, small spinners, minnow plugs, spoons are proven effective.

What flies work for Brook Trout in Vermont?

Various floating and sinking flies are proven effective. Effective fly patterns include Adams, Elk Hair Caddis, Pheasant Tail nymphs, Woolly Buggers, and Muddler Minnows.

When is the best time to fish for Brook Trout in Vermont?

Brook Trout season in Vermont runs from the second Saturday in April through October 31st for rivers and streams, with an additional winter season from January 1st to March 15th for lakes and ponds.

How do you catch Brook Trout in Vermont?

Keep presentations natural since Brook Trout have excellent eyesight and can be easily spooked. In small streams require stealth and short, underhand casts due to limited space.

What do Brook Trout eat?

Brook Trout prefer drifting aquatic macroinvertebrates like stoneflies, mayflies, and caddisflies over bottom-dwelling organisms, and larger individuals may feed on smaller fish, especially in lakes.

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