Trout Vs. Char - Fresh Water Fishin

Trout and char are very similar since they fall within the same family (Salmonidae) within the animal kingdom. However, trout occupy the Salmo and Oncorhynchus genera, while char are found in the Salvelinus genus. Essentially, all living things fall somewhere within the classification system that features kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, and species. Since char and trout occupy the same family, they are quite similar. Some species of char are also considered trout. Here is an overview of the key differences between a trout and char, including how to distinguish one from the other.

In this article we will discuss about Trout vs. Char

Table of Contents

What is Trout?

Trout are popular fishes you’ll encounter in the market. Brown, rainbow, and cutthroat are some of the most common varieties. However, there are more than 20 known breeds. Trout fall within the Salmonidae family and occupy two genera within the family; Salmo and Oncorhynchus. Salmo varieties like the brown trout evolved in the old world (Europe), while Oncorhynchus refers to varieties found in the new world (Pacific Ocean region and North America. Rainbow and cutthroat trout are the most prolific members of Oncorhynchus.

Trout are also grouped based on their immediate environment. For instance, sea trout spend all their life in salty waters of the sea and ocean, while rainbow and river trout remain in the rivers and freshwater lakes where they are born. On the other hand, anadromous trout like the steelhead head to freshwater rivers and lakes to spawn before returning to the sea. Adults, usually one to three years, move to the sea after spending their first few years in the rivers. Below are some of the known types of trout:

Genus Salmo – Brown, Marble, Adriatic, Sevan, and Ohrid trout
Genus Oncorhynchus – Rainbow, Apache, Golden, Cutthroat, and Gila trout

What is Char?

Char refers to another variety of fish within the Salmonidae family. However, char occupy the Salvelinus genus and has many unique species, most of which are native to the arctic region drainage channels. As such, most are often referred to as Arctic char. It also helps to distinguish them from their closely related trout cousins. Some of the popular species of char within the Salvelinus genus include:

Arctic char (Species aplinus)
Brook trout (Species fontinalis)
Bull trout (Species confluentus)
Lake trout (Species namaycush)
Dolly Varden trout (Species malma)
Aurora trout (Species fontinalis timagamiensis)

Note that most char are called trout, except for Arctic (Salvelinusaplinus), which is the most widely distributed species within the genus. The Arctic char is a freshwater fish found in the northernmost parts of the world in the North Pacific. Brook, bull, Dolly Varden, aurora, and lake char are also considered to be trout. However, they fall within the Salvelinus genus and are essentially char. Another well-known member of the char variety is Splake trout (Salvelinusfontinalis × Salvelinus namaycush), a hybrid of brook and lake trout.

Trout Vs Char Main Differences

Trout and char are more similar than they are different. However, various distinctions exist between members of the genera within the Salmonidae family. Salmo varieties are also known as Atlantic trout, while Oncorhynchus trout refers to Pacific dwellers and members of the Rhabdofario subgenus. On the other hand, char (also considered Salvelinus trout) occupy the Baione and Slavelinus subgenera. These three varieties of fish share many characteristics in terms of their feeding habits and markings. The distinctions are made along these two key factors:

Geographic Distribution

You’ll notice that char, trout, and several other types of fish are named with reference to the waters in which they naturally occur. For instance, Atlantic trout are found in the Atlantic Ocean, while Arctic char are North American natives. Char are considered to have a circumpolar distribution. Most varieties are found in water bodies at high latitudes and are native to the drain channels and lakes in the Arctic region. Char also thrive across all Arctic longitudes. On the other hand, trout are found in many places, including Europe and North America. Conditions in the Arctic freshwaters are difficult with shorter breeding and growing seasons. As such, char aren’t as widely distributed and don’t exist in large numbers like trout.

Physical Appearance

Geographical distribution aside, physical appearance offers the only other credible way to tell trout from char. The breeds may have many similar characteristics because of their shared family. However, they fall into different genera, so you can expect several physical differences looking at the individual species. In general, trout have lighter bodies with darker spots and bold body markings. Conversely, char have darker bodies with light markings, patterns, and spots. This distinction is consistent across all species of the Salmonidae family and is effectively how you can quickly determine if the fish you have is trout or char. Below is an overview of the physical appearances of some popular varieties of trout and char.

Trout Appearances:

Brown Trout – Have coppery brown and orange colour black spots on sides and gills. Saltwater brown trout may also be silvery with darker backs, while freshwater varieties feature pale halos with red and black markings.
Rainbow Trout – Exhibit beautiful metallic colours with pink lateral bands on both sides. They also have red gill covers and black spots running vertically on both sides as well as a streamlined body with forked caudal fins.
Cutthroat Trout – This is another colourful variety of trout and features red to orange hues on the gill plates, so they appear to have slit throats. They get their name from the unique body markings and are known to grow up to 30 inches long.
Marble Trout –These are probably the easiest trout to tell from char. They come in a variety of marble colouration and grow to become larger than most types of trout. Those found in the Adriatic Sea basin also have distinct red spots.
Apache Trout – The Apache trout have a golden yellow-to-brown belly and back with black speckles and pale halos around their dorsal. They have exquisite patterns and some feature yellow marks below the jaw and black spot on the pupil.

Char Appearances:

Brook Trout– Also known as speckled trout, brooks come with a dark olive-green colour. Some are brown and may feature marbled yellow markings. Others have bright red spots, reddish fins, and pale blue halos.
Lake Trout – These freshwater trout don’t have many colour variations. Most are grey, green, or purple, with pale spots and white edges on their fins. Lake trout can grow to 50 inches, so they are some of the largest varieties you’ll encounter.
Bull Trout – The bull char has an unusually large head and mouth. Some breeds have white edges on their fins and most are olive green with red-to-orange dots and beautiful yellow patterns. They also have fine scales.
Arcticchar –The arctic breeds are generally dark-brown with silvery back and pale spots. Some have bright white, red, orange, or pink underside. The back and upper side spot green and blue colouration and it physically resembles salmon.

Summary

Trout and char are often confused, especially considering some breeds, like brook trout, are indeed char. Nonetheless, various distinctions exist between the native species. Arctic char are well researched and easily distinguishable from trout that fall within the Salmo genus. However, they share a habitat with other types of Pacific trout. As such, comparing geographic location and physical appearance is the best way to determine one from the other.