The Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), also called steelhead trout, is a single species of trout native to the Pacific Ocean and in North American rivers and lakes west of the Rocky Mountains. Rainbow Trout are the smaller variety, found only in freshwater. Steelhead spend their adult lives in the ocean, but return to spawn in the streams in which they were hatched. Rainbow trout have been introduced to at least 45 countries, and every continent except Antarctica. Rainbow Trout occur in cold, cool streams up to 4500m in elevation.

Rainbows and steelhead have small black spots along their back, dorsal fin and caudal fin. Rainbows have a pink streak that runs from the gill cover to the caudal fin. The color of a rainbow's back varies from blue or green to a yellow-green or brown. Steelhead usually lack the pink stripe, except when young or spawning, and have chrome-colored sides. Rainbows are distinguished from their cousins, the cutthroat trout, by their short maxilla, which reaches to, but not past the rear margin of the eye. Rainbow trout also lack hyoid teeth, a feature present in cutthroat trout.

Rainbows range from 30 to 45 cm (12 to 18 inches) in length. Steelheads grow longer, ranging from 50 to 100cm (20 to 40 inches) in length. Steelhead range in weight from 2.5 kg to 10 kg.

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