Brook Trout

Virginia State Fish, Freshwater

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Brook trout

Brook trout (public domain photo by Eric Engbretson / US Fish & Wildlife Service.

Official State Freshwater Fish of Virginia

The beautiful brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) was designated official state fish of Virginia in 1993, then in 2011 it was reenacted as the official freshwater fish (the same legislation recognized the striped bass as Virginia's official saltwater fish). All State Fish

Brook Trout Facts

Brook trout live under water conditions that are cool, clean and pure. Also called speckled trout, the brook trout can be found in Virginia's streams and lakes. Though small, brook trout are a prized game fish with a long history of fishing lore.

Brook trout prefer aquatic insects (nymphs) that live under the rocks and on the stream bottom, but will eat whatever they can find including land insects that fall into the water, small crayfish, and other small fish and minnows when they are easy to catch.

Code of Virginia : 2011 Session; CHAPTER 671; Act [S 940] to amend § 1-510
Virginia

Images

Brook trout in crystal clear water; photo by August Allen on Flickr (noncommercial use permitted with attribution / share alike).

Brook trout

Brook trout photo © Brian Jorg / CritterZone: Animal - Wildlife - Nature Stock Photography (all rights reserved; used by permission).

Brook trout

Videos

Brook Trout Spawning-underwater footage-spectacular - Wild Visions, Inc.