Steelhead Trout


Life History and Ecology:
Oncorhynchus mykiss can be anadromous (steelhead) or freshwater resident (rainbow or redband) trout and under some circumstances, apparently yield offspring of the opposite form. Those that are anadromous can spend up to seven years in freshwater prior to smoltfication and then spend up to three years in salt water prior to spawning. Unlike other species of Oncorhynchus, except 0. clarki steelhead are capable of spawning more than once before they die. Morphologically, steelhead are distinguished from other salmon species by their steel-blue, blue-green or yellow-green upper-sides and head, white belly, pink cheeks and opercula, and vague pink to red band with many small black spots concentrated above the lateral line. Spawners are very dark and dusky and the red band along the lateral line is very pronounced. The size of steelhead at maturity depends primarily upon how long they have lived in the ocean or in lakes. Most of the steelhead returning to Washington streams weigh 2 to 5 kg (5 to I 0 pounds), although fish as large as 16 kg (35 lbs.) have been caught in the state's.

Steelhead and rainbow trout naturally occur throughout the eastern Pacific Ocean and in freshwater systems west of the Rocky Mountains, from northwest Mexico to the Kuskokwim River in Alaska.

And besides all this, they are just plan fun to catch!

Hope this tells you what a steelhead is.

Cowlitzfisherman


Is the taste of the bait worth the sting of the hook?????