Steelhead Trout

Steelhead and rainbow trout are really the same species of fish. Steelhead is the name given to the silver or steel-blue headed ocean-going form of the species. It is native to the Pacific coast of North America from northern Mexico north to the Bering Sea and inland to the Rocky Mountains. Rainbow trout are the inland form and have been "stocked" or released around the world. They now thrive in the waters of many states in the United States. These fish can be identified by the spots all over the tail, but the rest of body is silver. The white mouth identifies steelhead from salmon.

Steelheads eat small fish, insects, and crayfish. The major predators of adult fish are sea lamprey and humans. The juveniles have to look out for larger carnivorous fish and merganser ducks looking for a meal.

The most popular bait for stream fishing is a "spawn bag," which is fish eggs tied in a small ball using fine mesh. Other baits include spoons, spinners, flatfish, and flies fished close to the bottom. Fly fishing is a fun way to catch these fish.


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