Species

Brook trout

A colourful salmonid from North America with white-edged pelvic fins, introduced to Europe in 1884 and popular in fish farms and ponds.

Salvelinus fontinalis

Photo: Karelj, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain, adjusted to 3:2

Spawning: Late summer to autumn (general guide, varies by region)
German Red List: not assessed
Typical method: Fly fishing
Top bait: Inline spinner

Plan a day fishing for Brook trout

How to recognise it

Olive-brown marbled back, the dorsal fin is patterned too
Red-orange pelvic fins with a white and a narrow black edge
Red spots with a bluish ring on the flanks, small adipose fin

Easily confused with: Looks like the brown trout, but has pelvic fins edged in white and black and a marbled back. Hybrids of the two species are called tiger trout.

How to catch it

Methods: Fly fishing, Lure fishing with a light rod, Float fishing

Baits: Inline spinner, Nymph, Dry fly, Lobworm

From spring into autumn, especially at dusk; at trout lakes also in the cool season.

Habitat and food

Cold, oxygen-rich streams, rivers and lakes, including mountain lakes. It hardly needs any cover and tolerates more acidic water than the brown trout; it is not native to Europe.

Planktonic crustaceans, small bottom-dwelling creatures and insects, in summer also insects that land on the water such as grasshoppers; larger brook trout eat fish.

Size and age

In Europe rarely over 35 cm and usually under 1 kg, maximum 85 cm; in North America up to 4 kg. Maximum age in the wild 8 to 10 years (Wikipedia). FishBase: max. 86 cm, heaviest published weight 8.0 kg, maximum age 24 years. Weight and age differ considerably between the sources.

Protection and rules

Conservation status: German Red List (freshwater fish 2023): not assessed, as it is a non-native species. IUCN: not threatened (Least Concern, 2021).

Brook trout: closed season and minimum size by German state

These rules apply in Germany only. Fishing in the UK, the USA or elsewhere? The local rules apply there (link below).

Baden-Württembergclosed season 01.10. to 28.02.
Berlinminimum size 25 cm · closed season 01.10. to 30.04.
Saxonyminimum size 25 cm · closed season 01.10. to 30.04.

From the official state fisheries regulations, retrieved 2026-10-11. All rules by state

Check the rules

In Germany, closed seasons and minimum sizes are set by each state and can be stricter for single waters. All German rules by state, with the legal source. Outside Germany, the local rules apply: licence and agency by country.

In the kitchen

Delicate, tender flesh, often preferred to rainbow trout in the kitchen; good pan-fried, steamed or smoked.

Sources (4)

Last checked 2026-10-18. Found a mistake? Write to [email protected].

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