Fish Species in Chile
Besides its great fishing destinations, Chile also offers an attractive variety of species, many of which are especially destined for fishing purposes.
|TRUCHA ARCO IRIS O SALMÃ“N CABEZA DE ACERO / RAINBOW TROUT OR STEELHEAD|
|Oncorh ynchus mykiss||Shape: robust, compressed body, longer in females than in males. Short and convex head. Round, small terminal mouth (except for adult males). From 100 to 140 scales in the lateral line.|
|Color: Variable. The upper part of its body ranges from bright green to brown, and its lower part is silver. Along its sides, there is a red-violet stripe, iridescent, which is characteristic of this species. The head, operculum, the body and dorsal, caudal and anal fins, are densely covered by small black spots.|
|Size: It can reach to more than a meter long, fish usually caught measure between 30 and 60 centimeters long.|
|Distribution: It is one of the most common trout in the country. It is mainly found from the central zone to the extreme south of the country.|
|Habits: They can tolerate temperatures greater than 18Âº C, and their growth-rate is very fast. They reproduce in waters with a current, spawning at the end of winter and spring. Preferably, they are found in fast-moving waters and deep lakes. They are essentially carnivore.|
|Â TRUCHA FARIO O CAFÃ‰ / BROWN TROUT|
|Â Salmo trutta||Shape: Long and compressed body with a high caudal peduncle. Big and long head. Round and long mouth. The maxillary exceeds the upper rim of the eye (longer in bigger fish). From 120 to 130 scales in the lateral line, fatty second dorsal fin.|
|Color: les in the lateral line, fatty second dorsal fin.
Color: Variable. The upper part is dark, with olive green or greenish brown shades. Lateral parts are lighter. An important characteristic is the presence of black and red spots on its sides. Red spots, and some black spots almost always have a wide light rim. Red spots often appear on the back dorsal fin, that in all trout is reduced to an adipose stump.
|Size: its dimensions are inferior to those of a rainbow trout, reaching up to 80 centimeters long.|
|Distribution: from the V to the XII Regions. Sometimes, it invades sea coastal waters, especially the fjords and channels of the south zone, XII Region.|
|Customs: It preferably dwells in rapid waters, but they are able to develop satisfactorily in lagoons, whose maximum temperature does not exceed 20Âº C. It gets to its sexual maturity when it is 2 or 3 years old. They reproduce in clear, fast water; their spawning has taken place by the end of fall and winter.|
|Â TRUCHA DE ARROYO/ Trout|
|Shape: oblong, long and moderately compressed body, big and terminal mouth; the maxillary exceeds from behind the back rim of the eye. The mouth is slightly rounded. Small cycloidal (round) scales. Small and adipose second dorsal fin.|
|Color: the upper part is pale green or olive green, speckled with typical long or irregular greenish yellow spots. Sides: a lot lighter, with red blots, which are generally surrounded by intense blue margins; the inferior part is pale yellow (carmine red around time of reproduction). Pectoral, abdominal and anal fins are of a color ranging from orange to red; they are limited by a light white margin.|
|Size: the average size is 25 centimeters, though it can reach up to a meter long. Some fish weighing around 7 and 8 kilos have been found.|
|Distribution: it is the least common trout in the country. It is found in some cordilleran places in the Aconcagua Province, in the V Region, and there are also some references of its presence in the Province of Magallanes, XII Region.
Habits: of all the species introduced in Chile, this is the most demanding fish in terms of temperature, oxygenation and water transparency. Temperatures higher than 16Âº C are not adequate for it. Its spawning takes place in fall.
|Â SALMÃ“N PLATEADO O COHO/SILVER SALMON, PACIFIC SALMON|
|Â Oncorhynchus kisutch||Shape: fusiform body, moderately high and laterally compressed. Conic head (bigger in adult males). Very small eyes. Normally blunt mouth (thick and bent in the extreme in adult males). Terminal and a bit slanting mouth, deformed in adult males, with the inferior jaw long and its tip bent upwards. The maxillary stretches well behind the eye. Small and cycloid scales.|
|Color: males are characterized by black spots on the back and the tail upper lobule, and a silver coloration on the sides and abdominal region.|
|Size: in natural conditions, it reaches up to 98 centimeters long, and a weight ranging from 2 to 5 kilos.|
|Distribution: X, XI and XII Regions.|
|Habits: it is an anadromous carnivore of cold waters. Introduced species.|
|Â SALMÃ“N REY O CHINOOK / KING SALMON|
|Â Oncohynchus tshawytscha||Shape: fusiform and robust body, conic with a slightly sharp and pointed head in young females and males. Adult reproductive males have a bigger head, long mouth, with both tips of the mouth bent to the inside as a hook, with strong teeth. Maxillary stretches far behind the eye. Very small eye. Small and cycloid scales.|
|Color: Pinky gray, with spots on the back and upper lobule of the tail.|
|Size: In natural conditions, it may reach 80 centimeters long.|
|Distribution:Â X, XI and XII Regions|
|Habits: it is an anadromous carnivore, cold waters. Introduced species.|
|Â SALMÃ“N DEL ATLANTICO / ATLANTIC SALMON|
|Â Form: fusiform, robust body.|
|Color: mature males have numberless black spots often in X form on the back region.|
|Size: In natural conditions, it weighs from 4 to 6 kilos.|
|Distribution: mainly X Region.|
|Habits: carnivore, cold waters, anadromous. Introduced species.|