Facts about
Steelhead
Some fish go by
more than one popular name, such as the Steelhead, which is also
commonly called Rainbow Trout. The Steelhead is one of the top 5 most
fished species in America and Western Canada. They tend to be called
Rainbow Trout by Northern anglers, especially fishermen in Alaska.
The scientific
name for Steelhead is 'Oncorhynchus Mykiss'. Besides being
called Rainbow Trout, they are sometimes referred to as Bow, Redsides,
Red-Band Trouts, Silvertrout, Kamchatka Salmon,
Hardhead, and Ironhead.
Steelhead are born
and live in freshwater streams and rivers for one to four years. The
Rainbow Trout then will migrate to saltwater estuaries, and finally to
the open ocean.
Unlike Salmon, who
spawn and then die, Steelhead will often lay eggs several times in
their lives. Coastal Rainbow Trout also differ in that they migrate
individually, rather than in large schools.
The Steelhead
prefers small fish and crustaceans, as well as aquatic and land-based
insects as staples of their diet. Rainbow Trout are especially
numerous in the many streams and estuaries of Alaska, Washington,
Oregon, and Northern California.
Most Steelhead
average under 10 pounds. The current world record is a Rainbow Trout
that weighed in at a whopping 42 lbs., 2 ounces! It was caught in
Alaska.
The Steelhead is
fairly sensitive to water temperatures, thriving in a narrow range
between 55-65 degrees. In fact, Rainbow Trout usually won’t bite at
all, as most anglers can attest, if the stream temp rises above 70.
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