Some additional information -
Even before a female steelhead spawns next year's eggs are developing. If you look closely at a skein of eggs you'll see the small dots that will develop into next season's eggs (you'll see them in steelhead but not salmon). Within a week or so of spawning the female's ovaries will shrink and form small skeins (about the size of your little finger) with eggs about the size of a pin head.

On the Snohomish the winter hatchery fish spawn from December through February. The hatchery summers spawn from January to early March. Unlikely that a spawned out hatchery hen would still be in the river in June.

These early summer steelhead are entering the rivers 9 or more months prior to spawning. As a result they are sexually immature. At times there is little sexual dimorphism (differences between the sexes). On some of these early fish determining the sex of a fish can be very difficult (both sexes are chrome bright with bullet heads). At times the only sure way is look inside - if it has eggs it is a female if not a male. this is especially true for the spring and early June fish.

Tight lines
Smalma