Steelhead

Steelhead are explosive acrobats that jump, twist, roll and do what they can to come off the line.

Steelhead are a unique species. While all hatch in fast-flowing rivers and streams, some stay in fresh water all their lives while others migrate to the ocean.

The latter is what I fish for. They can live up to 11 years and generally mature at 2 – 3 years. They can reach up to 30 pounds and 45 inches, though the average I see on these rivers is much smaller – generally 8 to 12 pounds with trophy opportunities in the 20 to 30 pound range. These fish are dark olive in color, shading to a silvery white underside, and typically grow much larger than those that remain in fresh water.

The winter-run Steelhead that I go after in the southern coastal streams is an ocean-maturing fish. It enters freshwater between November and April and spawns shortly thereafter. Adults migrate from the ocean to the freshwater rivers and streams of their birth to mate – some migrations are hundreds of miles. Unlike other fish, they can spawn more than one time. 

Resources

More about Steelhead from NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service.