Check out this news regarding a trib of Lake Washington involving steelhead.

http://enterprisenewspapers.com/index.cfm?action=story&storyid=200421211564487

Cigar

Very fishy.......there is no such thing as an adult SH <18". WDFW uses 20" as to differentiate between rainbow trout and SH. This is done because they are relatively confident that an fish that has been to salt and back would attain a length of 20". Most habitat biologist with WDFW spend very little time conducting stream surveys. It's likely that this has not been confirmed by a WDFW fish biologists?

There are definitely mature, adult, anadromous steelhead that are under 20". In some rivers, mainly south of here, they make up a very significant portion of the run.

Ever heard of half-pounders in the Sacramento?

WDFW uses the 20" rule for exactly the opposite reason than the one posted...they don't expect people to be able to tell the difference between a large rainbow and a small steelhead, so they use 20" so that there is a rule that is useful for fishermen.

Right on Todd !!

That being said, I'm thinking any indication of steelhead in that creek will aid in getting all the protection required to save this trib from further degradation.

Cigar

The first native I landed this year, day after Christmas, was a 17" steelhead. I also caught a hatchery hen about three weeks ago with Parker and Kid Sauk (Kid Squid?) that was only about 15" or 16".

Those small natives are an important part of the population. While it's obviously important to have native fish throughout the winter season as they take advantage of different reaches of the rivers, using the different habitats available, the different sizes do so, too.

That little native I release will not be able to spawn in the same areas that an average native will...she'll use a smaller tributary or backwater with smaller gravel. This helps to seed the river more fully with fish.

Fish on...

Todd.

P.S. Having wild steelhead in Thornton Creek will definitely help in establishing the level of protection it will get, for the good of all the fish that use the creek, or even Lk. Washington, for that matter.