interesting tidbit i found .....adds somw interesting ideas http://www.lakesuperiorstreams.org/understanding/rainbowtrout.htmlSome steelhead spawn in the fall, but most spawn in the spring mostly in April in Minnesota. Water temperatures must go above 5°C (41° F) and streams must rise (from rain) or the steelhead will not spawn. oh my this would throw a monkey wrench in everything .....i showed this picture before a fish i know in all honesty most would id as a steelhead silver bullet no facial spots .....can't even call it a cross it's a new jersy rainbow where the hatchery uses it's own brood stock and no washington or skamina strain ....
You also have to put into a perspcetive too Bob, at that time of the year you have a few different strains of Steelhead in the river too. Summer spawners and spring spawners. The fish that Gillripper is hold is a Spring spawning Steelhead. The other one that guy number two is holding, looks to me to be a Late, summer run Male Steelhead. To thin and sleak to be a Domestic Rainbow. Look at your pig your holding just fat from the head to the anal fin. Thats what we're talking about here.. You can I.D. the different fish very easy.
drake truth i been fishing steelies for 40 years including west coast , i have volenteered and worked in 2 fish hatcherys , i been to seminars and read books .......... my opinion .....truth .... i think we all get them mixed up alot of times ..... there is no one rule to follow ... even experts us terms such as "most likely" and "has traits of" ..... this has been going on for 100's of years!!!! until the 1980's steelhead where considered a different spicies ....spots on the face no spots color shape domestic wild washington michagan skamanian ..... drake i think alot of them jumped the fence ,wether in the wild or in the hatcherys, i think there is no 100% sure way we can id all the fish (but i do think we can get alot) .... now michagan says they have steelhead spawning in the fall too hey at worse it's a 50 50
http://www.nativetroutflyfishing.com/rainbow.htmtry again its about cross breads i know its not our hatchery but its an example
Compare:- Also notice the wound on the underside of her mouth. It appears she was preparing a redd and was either preparing to spawn or was spawning. I caught this fish on 12/13/09
skamania steelhead spawn at the same time as regular steelhead spawn ...unless steelhead too can spawn at different times and if thats the case your fall spawning domistics may not be domestics at all ......
now michagan says they have steelhead spawning in the fall too
as does Ontario, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Minnesota..... And you thought they didn't exist two weeks ago !!
my point esox mishagan reports (some) steelhead spawning wild in the fall! same strains we have .... oh my another monkey wrench