Parker,

The research we have (primarily Kalama River) indicates that hatchery steelhead spawning in the natural environment produces few to no returning adults. Same for hatchery X wild crosses, which is why we'd rather not have hatchery fish spawning with a wild fish. It's wastes the production potential of one wild spawner. Wild X wild is what produces returning adults.

I've seen hatchery winter runs spawning in tributary streams in early winter, but those same creeks never get any subsequent "wild" early returning steelhead.

Now, regarding absolutes, never say never (see above). Some wild runs appear to have been developed by naturally spawning hatchery fish, mainly summer runs. Hatchery summer runs are more in synchrony with natural spawning times, and, I suppose, more likely to survive. And, to repeat an example, late winter hatchery fry have been planted in the upper Cowlitz River basin and appear to have developed a small return of native, naturally rearing, Cowlitz late winter steelhead.

To repeat Eddie, conventional wisdom has it that hatchery winter steelhead generally don't make the cut when it comes to successful reproduction in the wild.

Sincerely,

Salmo g.