Brenda Khan
Trout are carnivorous freshwater fish that feed on a variety of aquatic insects, fish, and other small animals. Their diet varies depending on the species and the environment, but most trout species share similar dietary preferences. So, what exactly do trout eat, and what makes up most of their diet?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Diet | Trout are carnivorous and eat other fish, crustaceans, insects, worms, tadpoles, and soft-bodied aquatic invertebrates. |
| Favorite meals | Trout enjoy insects, fish eggs, snails, salmon, herring, shrimp, krill, squid, crayfish, mussels, small mammals, and more. |
| Opportunistic eaters | Rainbow trout, brook trout, and brown trout will eat almost anything that is alive and the right size. |
| Aquatic insects | Mayflies, caddisflies, stoneflies, and dragonflies are some of the most common aquatic insects consumed by trout. |
| Crustaceans | Crayfish, scuds, and shrimp are favored sources of protein for trout. |
| Small fish | Sculpins, chubs, minnows, bullhead, and their own young are some of the small fish trout prey upon. |
| Land animals | Trout have been known to eat mice, frogs, and other small mammals. |
| Lures | Trout can be selective and may refuse lures that appear unusual or out of season. |
| Farm-raised trout | Farm-raised trout tend to like salmon roes, worms, minnows, cut bait, maize, and even marshmallows. |
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What You'll Learn
Insects
Other common insects in a trout's diet include grasshoppers, crickets, ants, spiders, beetles, dragonflies, damselflies, midges, and various terrestrial insects. Brown trout, in particular, tend to be quite partial to ants and beetles. Trout are perceptive and will refuse lures that appear unusual or out of season. For example, they will not bite on a summer insect pattern presented during winter.
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Crustaceans
Trout are opportunistic feeders and will eat just about anything they can fit in their mouths. They are perceptive, however, and may refuse lures that appear unusual or out of season. Trout always feed on insects, no matter where they are in the world. Aquatic insects are the primary choice for most trout, with mayflies, caddisflies, and stoneflies being the most common. During the summer, trout also eat smaller fish, leeches, worms, and all insects. In the fall, their diet includes beetles, grasshoppers, and ants.
Different species of trout have different dietary preferences. Brown trout, for example, eat insects, baitfish, eggs, worms, and crustaceans. They are also known to pursue larger, trickier prey, such as mice and young mink. Rainbow trout are opportunistic eaters and will consume anything that is alive and the right size, including baitfish, insects, eggs, crustaceans, and worms. They have also been known to eat small mammals such as mice and birds.
Trout occupy a "holding lie" in streams, which provides them with protection from predators and access to food. They can be found cruising the shallows in pursuit of food. To catch trout, anglers should learn about their feeding preferences and behaviors, as well as the seasonal forage available in their immediate environment. This will help determine the best lure patterns and presentations to match the hatch.
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Fish and fish eggs
Trout are opportunistic feeders and will eat just about anything they can get their mouths around. However, they are also perceptive and will refuse lures that appear unusual or out-of-season. Trout are mid-level predators and primarily eat other fish and soft-bodied aquatic invertebrates.
Fish
Trout are known to eat smaller fish, especially those that are one-third of their length. This includes sculpins, chubs, minnows, bullhead, salmon fry, herring, and even other trout. Trophy trout are particularly partial to small fish. Trout that swim in streams are more likely to feed on fish.
Fish Eggs
Fish eggs are another important part of the trout diet. Adult trout will watch for eggs that float out of their nest during the spawning season. Trout that are farm-raised are known to enjoy salmon roes.
Trout are closely related to salmon and have similar migratory life cycles. They are classified as oily fish and are important food fish for humans. They are also a staple prey item for many wildlife species.
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Frogs and mice
Trout are known to be opportunistic eaters, consuming a variety of food sources, including insects, fish, and small mammals. While aquatic insects are their primary choice, they will also eat small mammals, such as mice and young mink, particularly brown trout. This is especially true in the warmer months when they are already searching for bugs on the surface. Trout will also eat frogs, toads, and salamanders.
High country trout, in particular, are known to eat mice. While mice may not be as common a food source as insects, they are still a part of the trout's diet. Trout will eat just about anything they can fit in their mouths, and they are not picky, as long as the food is the right size and looks alive.
One technique for catching trout involves using lures that mimic their natural food sources, such as insects, small fish, or crustaceans. This technique is called "match the hatch," and it can be very effective in improving catch rates. However, some anglers dispute the effectiveness of this method when mousing for trout, arguing that the mouse pattern does not necessarily represent a mouse but rather a small, moving target.
In addition to the above, trout are also known to eat fish eggs, snails, small fish, and even other trout. Cutthroat trout, which can live in saltwater, have been known to eat ocean forage, including squid and shrimp. Steelhead trout, a subspecies of rainbow trout, also eat a variety of forage, including insects and small fish.
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Aquatic plants
Trout are known to be opportunistic feeders and will eat just about anything they can fit in their mouths. However, aquatic insects make up a significant part of their diet. Mayflies, caddisflies, and stoneflies are the most common insects consumed by trout. Mayflies, in particular, are considered a trout staple, and trout are known to consume them in all their four stages of development: nymph, emerger, adult, and spinner. The adult female returns to the water to lay eggs, making herself available to trout. When they die, the females fall to the surface of the water as "spinners" and are eaten by trout. Stonefly nymphs are often swept loose from the rocks and eagerly snapped up by feeding trout as they drift along.
Dragonfly nymphs are another aquatic insect that is a favourite of trout. The 42 species of dragonflies in California spend up to two years in the water before emerging as adults. As nymphs, dragonflies are predators themselves and are capable of catching and eating small fish. Adult dragonflies are sometimes caught by trout as they skim over the water laying eggs or competing with the trout for other insects.
Trout do not only eat insects; they also consume fish eggs. Adult trout watch for eggs that float out of their nest during the spawning season. Crustaceans are not as commonly found in trout waters, but they are among trout's favourite protein sources. Crayfish, for example, tend to thrive in warm and still waters, so having fly patterns that imitate these shelled creatures will result in success when fishing for trout.
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Frequently asked questions
Trout are opportunistic feeders and will eat just about anything they can wrap their mouths around. Most of their diet comes from macroinvertebrates, or animals that do not have a backbone, like snails, worms, and insects. Aquatic insects are the primary choice for most trout.
Mayflies, caddisflies, and stoneflies comprise the vast majority of the diet of most trout. Trout are known to consume mayflies in all their four stages: nymph, emerger, adult, and spinner. Other insects that trout eat include grasshoppers, crickets, ants, spiders, and beetles.
Trout also eat small fish, such as sculpins, chubs, minnows, and bullhead. They also eat crustaceans, such as crayfish, and fish eggs. Trout are also known to eat certain land animals, including frogs and mice.
