Can You Identify These Trout from an Image?

By: Monica Lee
Estimated Completion Time
4 min
Can You Identify These Trout from an Image?
Image: Shutterstock

About This Quiz

Sure, rainbow trout ... that's an easy one. But when you're identifying cutthroat trout you may need more than a net to catch the name of it -- as there are 14 different species of this trout. The cutthroat itself is easy to identify. Just think of someone pulling their finger across their throat. That is where the cutthroat trout has its cuts. Plus, the orange marks along the undersides of their mandibles and at the lower folding of the gill plate area make it look like recent cuts. 

If this type of trout isn't your game, maybe you like the Apache trout. This little fishy can be identified by its eyes. On each side of the pupil, you might see a small black spot, which makes it appear that each pupil has a black stripe running through each of its eyes. Kinda like a snake. And did we tell you the one about the Bonneville cutthroat trout, over 40 pounds and a fighter ... but wait, this is YOUR fish tale to tell.  We'll start it. "There was a quiz so challenging that only the best trout fisherman could survive through the entire quiz ..." Now finish the quiz and get ready to tell your own fish story. Jump in now and get your feet wet.

Brook Trout
shutterstock
Are you angling for a trout? What's the name of this one?
Brook Trout
According to a majority of people, brook trout are probably the most beautiful of all trout species. To catch one you'll need to be in the Northeastern U.S. or Canada. This little Pisces is also a member of the char family closely related to the lake trout.
Lake Trout
Gila Trout
Apache Trout
Gila Trout
Craig Springer/USFWS
You won't be able to catch many of this one. What's its name?
Apache Trout
Brown Trout
Gila Trout
The Gila trout is native to the Southwestern United States and is considered a threatened species. Only limited sport fishing is allowed. With its golden to copper color along the sides of the body moving to a greenish color at the top of the body, this fish is a close relative to the rainbow trout and cutthroat trout.
Lake Trout
Apache Trout
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
The name is the same as a Native American tribe, what's the name of this fish?
Arctic Grayling
Apache Trout
The Apache trout is native to the cool, clean streams of mountainous Arizona. Despite recovery efforts in its native streams and other streams for many years, the Apache trout is still considered critically endangered and threatened.
Brown Trout
Bull Trout

Advertisement

Brown Trout
shutterstock
This is no bait and switch. It's a perfectly popular fish. What's its name?
Lake Trout
Arctic Grayling
Bull Trout
Brown Trout
The brown trout is so popular that it is found throughout the world due to stocking programs. However, its native waters include much of Europe. This species is one of the most sought-after trout.
Bull Trout
Bart Gammet, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
You don't need a harpoon for this one. What's its name?
Bull Trout
It's no bull, this fish was once thought to be a Dolly Varden, but it's been established that it is a separate species. The bull trout can be identified by their olive bodies with red and orange spots along each side, as well as pale yellow dots along the back.
Lake Trout
Cutthroat Trout
Dolly Varden
Dolly Varden
shutterstock
Although, this one you might need to harpoon ... what's its name?
Lake Trout
Dolly Varden
OK, maybe not a harpoon, but when mature, these fish can reach a weight up to and over 20 pounds. The northern form of this fish in Alaska can reach up to 27 pounds. So you'll have a good fight on your hands.
Arctic Grayling
Cutthroat Trout

Advertisement

Cutthroat Trout
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Are you trolling for a hint? Click if you need to. What's the name of this sea creature?
Rainbow Trout
Cutthroat Trout
Although cutthroat has a different meaning when talking about criminals, in this trout the name is due to orange marks (or what looks like cuts) along the undersides of their mandibles and at the lower folding of the gill plate area.
Taimen
Arctic Grayling
Arctic Grayling
National Park Service
What's the name of this little fishy?
Taimen
Lake Trout
Arctic Grayling
Arctic grayling are native to cold drainages of the Pacific and Arctic oceans. They can be found in abundance in Siberia, Canada and Alaska. The arctic grayling is not actually a trout species, but since they live in many areas that are abundant with trout and are mistakenly identified as trout, we’ve included them in this quiz.
Rainbow Trout
Lake Trout
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
What's the name of this sea creature?
Lake Trout
Lake trout are still closely associated with the Great Lakes, and many people still refer to them as Great Lake Trout even though their numbers have dwindled. Prized by anglers, it’s the largest type of trout native to the Great Lakes as well as a strong and surprising fighter on the line.
Rainbow Trout
Taimen
Golden Trout

Advertisement

Rainbow Trout
Knepp, Timothy - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
What's the name of this colorful species?
Rainbow Trout
Rainbow trout are native to the Pacific Ocean in parts of the US and Asia although now, due to stocking efforts, they can be found all over the U.S. Not only are they aggressive fighters, these rainbows jump more frequently than most other trout, and pound for pound can outfight them all.
Taimen
Golden Trout
Mountain Whitefish
Taimen
Zouavman Le Zouave
What's the name of this marine creature?
Taimen
Some fish are made for trolling, some are made for offshore fishing and some are made for fly fishing The taimen can give you the ultimate dry fly fishing thrill. However you'll have to go to the waters of Eurasia, Mongolia and Russia to catch them.
Golden Trout
Mountain Whitefish
Splake Trout
Splake Trout
Hunt Fish Manitoba
Something smells fishy about this one, the name doesn't look real. Which fish is it?
Splake Trout
Weirdly, one would think by the name "Splake" the fish might be a trout found in the sea or lake. Nope. Splake trout are a hybrid between the brook trout and the lake trout. Yep. It does smell fishy.
Mountain Whitefish
Golden Trout
Sea Trout

Advertisement

Golden Trout
DaveWiz84
Shark! Just kidding, it's only a trout. Which one is it?
Golden Trout
If you remember the California gold rush, you'll remember the name of this golden trout found in California as well as a few spots in Montana and Wyoming. This pretty Pisces prefers to live in cold, high mountain streams.
Mountain Whitefish
Sea Trout
Tiger Trout
Mountain Whitefish
shutterstock
You're worming your way through this quiz. What's the name of this one?
Sea Trout
Mountain Whitefish
Mountain whitefish are most closely related to the Arctic grayling. The mountain whitefish likes eating nymphs and may occasionally pop up to eat dry flies.
Tiger Trout
Ohrid Trout
Sea Trout
Addictive Fishing
Getting hungry for a fish dinner? First name this fish in the picture.
Ohrid Trout
Sea Trout
This species can get up to 17 pounds. Perfect size for a family dinner. Also known as the speckled trout, they have several black spots on their back which extend to dorsal fins and tail. Also take care, as they have a pair of large canine teeth at the tip of their upper jaw.
Tiger Trout
Silver Trout

Advertisement

Ohrid Trout
Albinfo
Ready for a fish fry? Maybe after you answer this one. What kind of fish is pictured?
Silver Trout
Tiger Trout
Ohrid Trout
Ohrids look like a greatly exaggerated brown trout. They have oversized fins, huge black and reddish-orange spots, a uniform tan body, and black shading along the belly. Although they may look boring now, wait for the spawning season when males are brilliantly colored.
Gila Trout
Tiger Trout
FishingGeeks
No anchovies here. These are full-sized trout. What's the name of this one?
Tiger Trout
Tiger trout are a hybrid between a male brook trout and a female brown trout. It is rare to catch a tiger trout due to genetic differences between the mother and father which results in a low egg and fry survival rate.
Silver Trout
Sunapee Trout
Brown Trout
Sevan Trout
Камалян Карен
Jump in, the water's fine. What's the name of this marine creature?
Sevan Trout
Going to Armenia anytime soon? Then pack your rod and reel and head to Lake Sevan. These gorgeous fish are silvery-white with a steel-colored back. During spawning, the fins on the males become almost black. On the sides of the body they develop two to three red spots.
Biwa Trout
Cutbow
Aurora Trout

Advertisement

Cutbow
COLORADOFISHERDUDE
What aquatic creature is this?
Cutbow
As a hybrid of the cutthroat and rainbow trout, the cutbow usually sports a red or red-orange color slash on the near-bottom of the gill covers and jaws, and they usually show a broad pink or reddish band just below the lateral line.
Biwa Trout
Aurora Trout
Mountain Whitefish
Aurora Trout
Photo by David J. Stang
What a catch this one is. What is it?
Biwa Trout
Aurora Trout
Named after the aurora borealis because of their unique color patterns, the aurora trout is a member of the trout and salmon family and looks similar to brook trout. Found in northern Ontario, the adult’s average size is about one to three pounds.
Eagle Lake Trout
Kern River Rainbow Trout
Biwa Trout
worldfishing
What's the name of this trout?
Biwa Trout
In Lake Biwa, Japan, and the surrounding rivers you'll find the biwa trout. Biwa have silver-gray, slender bodies, round noses and large eyes. As a young fish, they have parr marks and vermilion dots on the side of their body that disappear with age.
Eagle Lake Trout
Kern River Rainbow Trout
Kamloops Rainbow Trout

Advertisement

Eagle Lake Trout
datsun510wanted
Don't swim around it, you know the answer. What's the name of this fish?
Kern River Rainbow Trout
Eagle Lake Trout
Similar in appearance to coastal rainbow trout, the eagle lake trout has a large, squared-off tail for power through the water, large eyes and increased body size. The average eagle lake trout reported is about 18 inches in length and two pounds.
Kamloops Rainbow Trout
Ohrid Trout
Kamloops Rainbow Trout
Joe Harris
Catch yourself a big one. What's the name of this fish?
Kamloops Rainbow Trout
There aren’t many lakes in the world where you can expect to catch trout pushing 30 pounds. Lake Pend Oreille in Idaho’s Panhandle region is where you'll find this one. This massive trout can make spectacular 300-yard runs, snap 20-pound leaders and have legendary fights.
Kern River Rainbow Trout
Goose Lake Redband Trout
Beardlee Trout
Kern River Rainbow Trout
DaveWiz84
What'cha catching for dinner? What's the name of this trout?
Beardlee Trout
Goose Lake Redband Trout
Kern River Rainbow Trout
Well, you'll go hungry if you are looking to catch this for dinner. Kern River rainbow trout are classified as an endangered species. In California you'll find this beauty in the Kern River and tributaries.
Mexican Golden Trout

Advertisement

Goose Lake Redband Trout
SammysFlyShop
I'm on a seafood diet, if I see food, I eat it. I'll even eat this trout. What's its name?
Mexican Golden Trout
Goose Lake Redband Trout
Similar to other redband trout, but paler with a subtle lemon-yellow body, especially below the lateral line, the Goose Lake Redband Trout can be found in Goose Lake and tributaries in northeastern California and southeastern Oregon.
Rainbow Trout
Beardlee Trout
Beardslee Trout
Purefury182
Are you "game" for answering this one? What's the name of this fish?
Alvord cutthroat trout
Whitehorse Basin cutthroat trout
Mexican Golden Trout
Beardslee Trout
E.B. Webster said, "The hardest fighting fish, the gamiest fish in all the world is the Lake Crescent Beardslee." This famous trout is similar-looking to rainbow trout except the head is blue-gray with thick bands of iridescent indigo and sapphire arching above its big, black eyes.
Mexican Golden Trout
Joe Tomelleri
Ready for a little fly-fishing? What's the name of this trout?
Alvord Cutthroat Trout
Mexican Golden Trout
Fly fishing for Mexican golden trout will require your smallest outfits, as the average size of this trout is only 8 to 10 inches long. Overall body shape and fin placement is nearly identical to rainbow trout with parr marks that normally stay the same throughout the fish's lifespan.
Aurora trout
Great Basin Redband Trout

Advertisement

Great Basin Redband Trout
Shutterstock
What's the name of this sea creature?
Alvord Cutthroat Trout
Great Basin Redband Trout
It's interesting to note that the redband trout are an evolutionary intermediate between the “cutthroat”-like species and coastal rainbow trout. The Great Basin redband trout is actually one of THREE redband trout subspecies of the rainbow trout in the western United States.
Bonneville Cutthroat Trout
Tiger Trout
Bonneville Cutthroat Trout
Coreyk23 at English Wikipedia
We can tell you this much -- it's a cutthroat trout. But which one is it?
Alvord Cutthroat Trout
Bonneville Cutthroat Trout
Native Indians and settlers in Utah relied heavily on Bonneville cutthroat to get them through the hard years. Maybe that's why in 1997, this crucial trout was designated as the official state fish of Utah. The trout once existed in great numbers in Utah Lake and was reported to reach sizes of 40 pounds or more.
Greenback Cutthroat Trout
Lahontan Cutthroat Trout
Greenback Cutthroat Trout
Rosenlund Bruce, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Don't head out fishin' until you name this trout. What is it?
Lahontan Cutthroat Trout
Greenback Cutthroat Trout
The greenback cutthroat trout, in addition to being spectacularly beautiful, is native to Colorado. You'll find this beauty in Zimmerman Lake in Sherburne County, Minnesota. which provides catch and release angling opportunities.
Snake River Fine-Spotted Cutthroat Trout
Tiger Trout

Advertisement

Snake River Fine-Spotted Cutthroat Trout
Zac Sexton
This fishing story is getting close to the end. What's the name of this trout?
Lahontan Cutthroat Trout
Snake River Fine-Spotted Cutthroat Trout
The Snake River cutthroat trout is also called the fine-spotted cutthroat. Found in the Snake River and other areas, its body is brownish yellow with dull silvery, green or bronze tints. They have very fine spots covering the body except the belly, which is white.
Paiute Cutthroat Trout
Sacramento Golden Trout
Paiute Cutthroat Trout
California Department of Fish and Wildlife from Sacramento, CA, USA
Jump in, the water's fine. Now tell us, what fish is this?
Sacramento Golden Trout
Lahontan Cutthroat Trout
Paiute Cutthroat Trout
You can tell a paiute cutthroat trout from other cutthroat trout by a lack of body spots and a striking iridescent purplish splash across its body. The cheeks have a rose and peach sheen. And, of course, the cuttthroat slash always identifies the 14 species of cutthroats.
Bull Trout
Lahontan Cutthroat Trout
Pacific Southwest Region USFWS from Sacramento, US
There's more to this fish tale than a hot dinner. But first, what's the name of this trout?
Alvord Cutthroat Trout
Sacramento Golden Trout
Lahontan Cutthroat Trout
Lahontan cutthroat trout is the largest subspecies of cutthroat trout and is the state fish of Nevada. Well-adapted to both lake and stream environments, Lahontan cutthroat trout may look different depending on where you catch them. The stream trout are smaller and have a darker coloring than those inhabiting lakes.
Silver Trout

Advertisement

Sacramento Golden Trout
FishingWithJ
You don't need to be "schooled" in trouts. You know this one, which is it?
Sacramento Golden Trout
These trout represent a primitive form of rainbow trout that is believed to have invaded the Sacramento River drainage prior to the arrival of coastal rainbow trout. The McCloud River redband trout are native to the McCloud River in northern California.
Alvord Cutthroat Trout
Adriatic trout
Greenback Cutthroat Trout
Adriatic Trout
Ognjen Tasic
No whale of a story needed. Just tell us which of these trout are pictured here.
Alvord Cutthroat Trout
Adriatic Trout
Known as the Adriatic trout, Adriatic salmon, and softmouth trout, this trout is a species of salmonid fish found in the rivers of Western Balkans in southeastern Europe. However, unlike salmon, the Adriatic trout does not spend time in the sea, only rivers.
Flathead Trout
Mexican Golden Trout
Flathead Trout
Rick Morgan
What's the name of the trout in this picture?
Apache Trout
Bawa Trout
Silver Trout
Flathead Trout
As expected, this trout has a broad, flat head, streamlined body, strong tail as well as a blunt snout and large eyes. Currently the species is classified as critically endangered. Other names of this species include Salmo platycephalus, Ala balik and the Turkish trout.

Advertisement

Yellowstone cutthroat trout
Waldemarpaetz
Go for a championship finish. You're almost there. What fish is this?
Beardslee Trout
Lake Crescent cutthroat trout
Sevan Trout
Yellowstone cutthroat trout
The Yellowstone cutthroat trout inhabits the rivers of Yellowstone and prefer cold, clear, oxygenated water with a gravel substrate and little sediment. You know where to find these babies, circling undercut banks and in-stream woody debris.
Lake Crescent Cutthroat Trout
WikiWikiup
This is your final fish answer. What's the name of this trout?
Humbolt Cutthroat Trout
Lake Crescent Cutthroat Trout
The Crescent cutthroat trout or the Lake Crescent cutthroat trout is a North American freshwater fish. This local form of the coastal cutthroat trout was isolated in Lake Crescent in Washington, it is believed, after a landslide blocked the eastern outflow of the lake.
Beardslee Trout
Sevan Trout
You Got:
/38
Shutterstock