

The initial stockings of palomino rainbow trout in Pennsylvania waters occurred during the 1967 season. Subsequently, when these golden rainbow trout reached maturity, they were crossed with normally pigmented rainbow trout, and the offspring resulted in the development of the palomino rainbow trout. “ In Pennsylvania, the rise of the palomino rainbow trout stemmed from obtaining fertilized golden rainbow trout eggs from West Virginia. The following is a quote from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission website concerning Palomino Trout. Their flesh is a little more orange than a conventional Rainbow Trout, but it makes fine table fare. This would further dilute the chances of achieving the golden color that originated with the offspring’s Golden Rainbow Trout ancestors. However, the odds are that any reproduction involving a Palomino Trout would also involve a conventional Rainbow trout as the other participant in the matter. They are a hybrid within a species, though, so they are not sterile like for instance, a mule is “ A mule is the offspring of a donkey and a horse.“, so reproduction in the wild is theoretically possible. They are a product of fish hatchery-controlled reproduction. They are the result of the crossing of the West Virginia Golden Rainbow Trout and conventional Rainbow trout.

No, the Palomino Trout isn’t a natural fish. They also have a contrasting lateral line that can be anywhere from pink to scarlet in color and pinkish-tinged cheeks. Palomino Trout are banana yellow from nose to tail, thus the Palomino epithet, like a Palomino horse. They are more vigorous and have a faster growth rate than run-of-the-mill Rainbow Trout. Since they are a hybrid, Palomino Trout has the advantage of some hybrid heterosis. Palomino trout were first stocked in Pennsylvania in 1967. The Palomino Trout was developed at the Benner Spring Research Station at Bellefonte, Pennsylvania. The resulting offspring is a shade lighter in color compared to the Golden Rainbow Trout, which has a deep golden pigmentation. Palamino Trout are a result of crossing Golden Rainbow Trout back to conventional Rainbow Trout. Golden Rainbow Trout are a result of a selective breeding process described here. It’s incorrect to say that there’s no difference between a Palamino Trout and a Golden Rainbow Trout. They are the result of crossing Golden Rainbow Trout with a conventional Rainbow Trout. The Palomino trout is actually a Rainbow Trout with a genetic yellow color mutation. Palomino Trout photo by Neil DeMaster What Is A Palomino Trout?
