For the predatory trout, the small fish that populate the waterways are real treats rich in protein. Trout love small fish and small prey. Large lake trout will sometimes eat large prey, but this is only on occasion. Let's see the main species that are regularly on the menu of salmonids.
The minnow
The minnow is surely the most common prey of the trout. They can be found almost everywhere, as long as the water is fresh. This small cyprinidae is fond of the fresh waters of mountain streams and high altitude lakes. It often evolves in shoal close to the banks.
It is a small fish that reaches 10 cm maximum. It is golden brown on the back and shiny silver on the sides, with nice marbling and a marked golden line along the lateral line.
It is of course the basis of many colors and shapes of lures for trout.
Trout particularly target minnows when they are in the reproductive phase (late May to late June depending on the region). During this period they gather in very high density and are distracted by the spawning. The males have beautiful bright and constrasted colors (red orange, black and green reflection) during this period.
The stud
The gudgeon is the other food of choice for the trout. It is less present than the minnow, because more demanding on the oxygenation and the quality of the water.
Digging fish, we find this small cyprinid in rivers, rarely in lakes. It evolves almost permanently close to the bottom, in more or less big shoal.
It can reach 15 centimeters long. It is silvery to coppery, the scales are relatively large and drawn with small steel or bluish spots on the sides.
The sculpin
The sculpin is often misunderstood because it is very discreet, but it is more present than we think. This small fish of the goby family (gobiidae) lives in a solitary way, stuck to the bottom. It lives in rivers and shares the same waterways as salmonids.
It is brown in color and trout love to look for it between the pebbles and stones. For some trout, like the marmorata in Italy the sculpin is one of the best imitations!
River Blennie
Like the sculpin, the river blennie is very discreet. It loves the pebbled bottoms of rivers where it can take refuge. It is an unknown prey that the big trouts love!
Migrants
Seasonality causes some fish to cross paths with salmonids at a particular time, providing trout with a feeding opportunity.
Thus, lampreys, alosons (small shad) or eels are often on the menu of the trout which do not hesitate to attack these unsuspecting targets.
Other small fish
More rare or in a punctual way, we find in lake and in streams other fish which trout are fond of. It is the case of :
- the loche
- the bleak
- the pseudorasboras
- the gambusia
- stickleback
- the roach
- the rotengle
The pseudorasboras is a very popular invasive species for trout
Cannibalism and fry
Finally, in addition to all these small fish that easily fit into the mouth of a trout, the trout does not hesitate to hunt fry of all species it may come across. It is the case of fry of other salmonids, like those of chars and graylings or even of its own species.
Many colors of lures for trout imitate the colors of different salmonids!
