Brook Trout
Salvelinus fontinalis
A true native trout of eastern North America, the brook trout displays vivid worm-like markings on its back and vibrant orange fins edged in white. It requires the coldest, cleanest water of any stream fish and is often used as an indicator of pristine watershed health.
Spring-fed headwater streams and cold, clean mountain lakes.
Brook Trout Habitat & Size
Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) is associated with river water and lake water in the species record. Habitat information describes the species, not permission to fish for it. The recorded average size is approximately 9 inches; individual sizes vary.
Recorded Waters for Brook Trout
FishFinder links Brook Trout to water records in Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Manitoba, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Brunswick, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Newfoundland and Labrador, North Carolina, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Rhode Island, Saskatchewan, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. These associations may reflect documented presence, seasonal runs, or historical stocking, not angler catch reports or current abundance. Read the linked water guides and source notes for evidence dates and reaches.
Brook Trout Fishing Regulations & Limits
A recorded association does not establish that targeting or retaining Brook Trout is permitted. Confirm current species protections, seasonal and emergency closures, reach-specific rules, gear restrictions, bag and size limits with the responsible fisheries authority before fishing. A fishing license does not override these restrictions. FishFinder's regulation records may be incomplete; missing rules do not mean unrestricted fishing.
Related Water Guides for Brook Trout
Explore these FishFinder water guides for places where Brook Trout is recorded:
- Yellowstone River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Flathead Lake — recorded Brook Trout association
- Lake Nipigon — recorded Brook Trout association
- Lake Superior — recorded Brook Trout association
- Lake Opeongo — recorded Brook Trout association
- Loch Leven — recorded Brook Trout association
- Nelson River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Gods Lake — recorded Brook Trout association
- Gods River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Rivière Saint-Maurice — recorded Brook Trout association
- Lac Manitou — recorded Brook Trout association
- Lac Saint-Jean — recorded Brook Trout association
- Restigouche River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Kedgwick River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Upsalquitch River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Patapedia River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Nepisiguit River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Jacquet River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Tetagouche River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Middle Tetagouche Lake — recorded Brook Trout association
- Miramichi River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Northwest Miramichi River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Little Southwest Miramichi River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Cains River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Renous River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Bartholomew River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Bouctouche River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Richibucto River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Cocagne River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Kouchibouguac River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Big Salmon River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Upper Salmon River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Loch Lomond Reservoir — recorded Brook Trout association
- Ratcliffe Brook — recorded Brook Trout association
- Kennebecasis River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Hammond River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Nashwaak River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Oromocto River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Meduxnekeag River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Tobique River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Aroostook River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Serpentine Lake — recorded Brook Trout association
- Trousers Lake — recorded Brook Trout association
- Nictau Lake — recorded Brook Trout association
- Margaree River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Lake Ainslie — recorded Brook Trout association
- Bras d'Or Lake — recorded Brook Trout association
- Mira River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Gabarus Lake — recorded Brook Trout association
- Baddeck River — recorded Brook Trout association
- St. Mary's River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Liscomb River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Country Harbour River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Lochaber Lake — recorded Brook Trout association
- Goose Harbour Lake — recorded Brook Trout association
- Lake Charles — recorded Brook Trout association
- Sherbrooke Lake — recorded Brook Trout association
- Musquodoboit River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Mersey River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Tusket River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Wentworth Lake — recorded Brook Trout association
- Lake Rossignol — recorded Brook Trout association
- Medway River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Gaspereau Lake — recorded Brook Trout association
- Aylesford Lake — recorded Brook Trout association
- Cornwallis River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Black River Lake — recorded Brook Trout association
- Sunken Lake — recorded Brook Trout association
- Stewiacke River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Harrison Lake (Cumberland) — recorded Brook Trout association
- French River (Colchester) — recorded Brook Trout association
- Debert River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Deyarmont Lake — recorded Brook Trout association
- Morell River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Naufrage River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Bear River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Souris River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Boughton River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Bradshaw River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Brudenell River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Cardigan River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Fortune River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Montague River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Valleyfield River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Murray River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Vernon River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Hillsborough River — recorded Brook Trout association
- West River (Bonshaw) — recorded Brook Trout association
- Clyde River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Hunter River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Winter River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Wheatley River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Pisquid River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Hyde Pond — recorded Brook Trout association
- Dunk River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Wilmot River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Tryon River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Trout River (Coleman) — recorded Brook Trout association
- Big Pierre Jacques River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Mill River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Doyles Pond — recorded Brook Trout association
- Cross River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Humber River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Exploits River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Gander River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Gambo River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Terra Nova River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Salmonier River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Rocky River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Conne River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Grey River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Lomond River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Torrent River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Portland Creek — recorded Brook Trout association
- Codroy River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Harrys River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Serpentine River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Grand Lake (Newfoundland) — recorded Brook Trout association
- Red Indian Lake — recorded Brook Trout association
- Gander Lake — recorded Brook Trout association
- Deer Lake — recorded Brook Trout association
- Indian Bay — recorded Brook Trout association
- Square Pond — recorded Brook Trout association
- 10 Mile Lake — recorded Brook Trout association
- Round Lake — recorded Brook Trout association
- Big Jonathans Pond — recorded Brook Trout association
- Star Lake — recorded Brook Trout association
- Adies Lake — recorded Brook Trout association
- Southwest Pond — recorded Brook Trout association
- Pinware River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Forteau Brook — recorded Brook Trout association
- Eagle River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Paradise River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Sand Hill River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Churchill River (Labrador) — recorded Brook Trout association
- Naskaupi River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Smallwood Reservoir — recorded Brook Trout association
- Ashuanipi Lake — recorded Brook Trout association
- Atikonak Lake — recorded Brook Trout association
- Minipi Lake — recorded Brook Trout association
- Osprey Lake — recorded Brook Trout association
- Big Lake — recorded Brook Trout association
- Norfork Tailwater — recorded Brook Trout association
- Little Red River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Roaring Fork River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Farmington River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Naugatuck River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Salmon River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Tidbury Pond — recorded Brook Trout association
- Newton Pond — recorded Brook Trout association
- White Clay Creek — recorded Brook Trout association
- Red Clay Creek — recorded Brook Trout association
- Wilson Run — recorded Brook Trout association
- Chattahoochee River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Waters Creek — recorded Brook Trout association
- Henrys Lake — recorded Brook Trout association
- White River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Spring Branch — recorded Brook Trout association
- French Creek — recorded Brook Trout association
- Cumberland River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Sebago Lake — recorded Brook Trout association
- Moosehead Lake — recorded Brook Trout association
- Rangeley Lake — recorded Brook Trout association
- Mooselookmeguntic Lake — recorded Brook Trout association
- East Grand Lake — recorded Brook Trout association
- Grand Lake Stream — recorded Brook Trout association
- Kennebec River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Penobscot River, West Branch — recorded Brook Trout association
- Moose River (Maine) — recorded Brook Trout association
- Chesuncook Lake — recorded Brook Trout association
- Chamberlain Lake — recorded Brook Trout association
- Eagle Lake (Maine) — recorded Brook Trout association
- Square Lake — recorded Brook Trout association
- Long Lake — recorded Brook Trout association
- Androscoggin River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Saco River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Savage River — recorded Brook Trout association
- North Branch Potomac River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Gunpowder Falls — recorded Brook Trout association
- Deerfield River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Swift River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Millers River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Nissitissit River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Squannacook River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Westfield River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Ware River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Quaboag River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Ipswich River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Red Brook — recorded Brook Trout association
- Quashnet River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Au Sable River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Manistee River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Whitewater River, North Branch — recorded Brook Trout association
- Root River, Middle Branch — recorded Brook Trout association
- Lake Superior (Minnesota) — recorded Brook Trout association
- Knife River (Minnesota) — recorded Brook Trout association
- Georgetown Lake — recorded Brook Trout association
- Blackfoot River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Hobart Reservoir — recorded Brook Trout association
- Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge — recorded Brook Trout association
- Snake Range High Lakes — recorded Brook Trout association
- First Connecticut Lake — recorded Brook Trout association
- Lake Francis — recorded Brook Trout association
- Pleasant Lake — recorded Brook Trout association
- Back Lake — recorded Brook Trout association
- Profile Lake — recorded Brook Trout association
- Willard Pond — recorded Brook Trout association
- Umbagog Lake — recorded Brook Trout association
- Androscoggin River (New Hampshire) — recorded Brook Trout association
- Connecticut River (New Hampshire) — recorded Brook Trout association
- Saco River (New Hampshire) — recorded Brook Trout association
- Ellis River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Pemigewasset River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Dead Diamond River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Magalloway River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Raritan River South Branch — recorded Brook Trout association
- Musconetcong River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Pequest River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Big Flat Brook — recorded Brook Trout association
- Pequannock River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Rockaway River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Beaver Kill — recorded Brook Trout association
- Willowemoc Creek — recorded Brook Trout association
- West Branch Ausable River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Davidson River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Nantahala River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Tuckasegee River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Wilson Creek — recorded Brook Trout association
- South Toe River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Watauga River — recorded Brook Trout association
- East Prong Roaring River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Helton Creek — recorded Brook Trout association
- South Fork New River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Green River (North Carolina) — recorded Brook Trout association
- Linville River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Big Spring Creek — recorded Brook Trout association
- Slate Run — recorded Brook Trout association
- Wood River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Beaver River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Falls River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Pawcatuck River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Blackstone River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Branch River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Moosup River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Hunt River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Ten Mile River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Pawtuxet River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Wyoming Pond — recorded Brook Trout association
- Beach Pond — recorded Brook Trout association
- Wallum Lake — recorded Brook Trout association
- Watchaug Pond — recorded Brook Trout association
- Olney Pond — recorded Brook Trout association
- Carbuncle Pond — recorded Brook Trout association
- Stafford Pond — recorded Brook Trout association
- Barber Pond — recorded Brook Trout association
- Carolina Trout Pond — recorded Brook Trout association
- Silver Spring Lake — recorded Brook Trout association
- Breakheart Pond — recorded Brook Trout association
- Tiogue Lake — recorded Brook Trout association
- Chattooga River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Chauga River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Eastatoe Creek — recorded Brook Trout association
- Middle Saluda River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Whitewater River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Deerfield Reservoir — recorded Brook Trout association
- Sylvan Lake (South Dakota) — recorded Brook Trout association
- Rapid Creek — recorded Brook Trout association
- Spearfish Creek — recorded Brook Trout association
- Castle Creek — recorded Brook Trout association
- Caney Fork River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Elk River (Tennessee) — recorded Brook Trout association
- Clinch River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Hiwassee River — recorded Brook Trout association
- South Fork Holston River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Tellico River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Elk River (West Virginia) — recorded Brook Trout association
- Shavers Fork of Cheat River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Cranberry River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Blackwater River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Williams River — recorded Brook Trout association
- Lake Superior (Wisconsin Waters) — recorded Brook Trout association
- Namekagon River — recorded Brook Trout association
- East Newton Lake — recorded Brook Trout association
- Fish Lake (Wyoming) — recorded Brook Trout association
- Rob Roy Reservoir — recorded Brook Trout association
- Soda Lake north of Pinedale (Wyoming) — recorded Brook Trout association
Equipment planning for Brook Trout
We have not selected a species-specific affiliate setup for this guide. First establish whether targeting is permitted at your destination; no tackle recommendation should be inferred from a species record.
Equipment guidance is not permission to fish. Confirm the exact water, date, species, method and current official rules first. A closed season prohibits targeting, even with release. Recorded fish presence does not establish an open fishery.
- Check permitted methods, bait and hook restrictions before choosing tackle. Match rod, line and lure ratings to the lawful method and conditions, rather than buying by species name alone.
- Plan weather protection, drinking water and a way to call for help. For boat trips, confirm required flotation and safety equipment with the responsible boating authority.
- Read the habitat and water-specific source notes in this guide, then confirm an appropriate lawful method with the local fisheries authority before choosing equipment. Do not assume a general freshwater combo suits every species or water.
This is an editorial planning checklist, not hands-on product testing. Use equipment you already own when suitable. The gear directory contains affiliate links; any product suggestions below have their own disclosure. Retailer region, availability and Canadian shipping are not guaranteed.
Browse the gear directory · Find official fishing-rule sources · Affiliate disclosure
Brook Trout Regulations
Review available regulation records and confirm whether fishing for Brook Trout is permitted with the responsible fisheries authority:
Frequently Asked Questions
What water types are associated with Brook Trout?
The species record associates Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) with river water and lake water. Habitat information is not evidence of current abundance or permission to target the species.
How big does Brook Trout get?
The recorded average size for Brook Trout is approximately 9 inches. Individual sizes vary; this average is not a maximum size or a legal retention limit.
Where does FishFinder record water associations for Brook Trout?
FishFinder links Brook Trout to water records in Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Manitoba, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Brunswick, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Newfoundland and Labrador, North Carolina, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Rhode Island, Saskatchewan, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. These associations may reflect documented presence, seasonal runs, or historical stocking, not angler catch reports. Check the linked water guides and source notes for evidence dates and reaches; a listing does not guarantee current presence or legal fishing opportunity.
Does a listing or fishing license permit fishing for Brook Trout?
No. A listing records an association, not permission to target or retain Brook Trout. License requirements and exemptions vary. Confirm current species protections, seasonal and emergency closures, reach-specific rules, gear restrictions, bag and size limits with the responsible fisheries authority. A license does not override restrictions, and missing FishFinder regulation records do not mean unrestricted fishing.