ablc, Thanks for your help. Although I have spent alot of time in the Sierra Nevada Range in California, I know very little about trout as I don't generally fish while I'm up there. I did a google on rainbow trout in which confirmed what you said and I found some other interesting things which I'll share now. There are several subspecies in California alone and along with the brown trout, appear to be found world wide. They eat small fishes, mollusks, plankton, various types of flys - found a good "fly" to approximate (not copy.); basically they are bottom feeders, but oppertunistic. I also found out that they prefer 55-60 degrees f, live in excess of 5 years and are quite varied in coloration but have a red or pink stripe running lengthwise along the side. Unfortionately, I didn't find out which plants you might expect to see them near(besides plankton)? or what the differences in shape between the sexes are? thanks, - TJ (bikermouse)