These attractive game fish strike aggressively, fight
valiantly and are an angler's joy. The first rainbow
trout planted in the Great Lakes were probably "steelheads."
This is a strain of rainbow trout that migrates into
the ocean before returning to spawn in their freshwater
home streams. Rainbow Trouts have adapted well, moving
in and out of the Great Lakes much as they would the
ocean. As might be expected, they range widely throughout
Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. Tagging has revealed
that some migrate as far north as the Canadian tributaries
of Lake Superior. Rainbow trout seldom swim deeper
than 35 feet along the Great Lakes shores and are
easily located. In forage-rich Lake
Michigan, they grow 30-32 inches long and may
reach 16 pounds by the time they are five years old.
Unlike other salmon, the rainbow survives after spawning
and may spawn two or three times during its life.
