Skyrise,

I've been fishing over 30 years, and can report that 20 and more years ago wild steelhead in December were already at insignificant numbers, the OP being a possible exception. Nothing in this regard has changed in that time. Early returning native steelhead are harvested at a high rate. No fishing or wild steelhead release would change that. Even so, wild steelhead release won't make those rivers a showcase in 4 or 5 years. Sorry; it just ain't that simple. But the steelhead population structure and diversity would improve.

Fastwater,

Steelhead don't spawn just in upper rivers. Spawning occurs from the first clean riffles above tidewater to the uppermost mainstems and tributaries that the fish can penetrate. As long as anglers fish holding water and not near or over fish on redds, there is little indication of harm from C&R steelhead fisheries, allowing of course for incidental hooking and handling mortality. Wild C&R fisheries are the healthiest steelhead populations in the Puget Sound region.

Sincerely,

Salmo g.