steelhead/ rainbow trout

[carpo]

hi larry, i was wondering if you can help me with some fish I.D?? I recently fished the Salmon River in N.Y. I caught what looked to me like a giant rainbow. It was better than 30" and was quite heavy. very cool... My Uncle and I figured it was probably a steely, but we saw other fish that week that were "chromed" in color. When i got home i found a web sight that if you fish the Great Lakes or their tribs. that you are catching steelhead. My fish looked exactly like the smaller rainbows we were catching. We went to the hatchery, and the mounts of steelhead looked a little different than the fish i caught. Im confused, what the hell did i catch? Ive got a $1 bet going.... my $ is on steelhead, my uncle is betting on rainbow trout. What do you think?? Thanks as usual ........CARPO.

[dahlberg]

Hmm,
Technically, as I'm sure you know a steelhead is an anadromous rainbow.
i.e. spawns in a river, lives in a lake or ocean.
I'm not sure what the fish shovels have dumped into the Salmon, but in Lake Superior we have both steelheads and Kamloops strain rainbows. Not sure if it's still in operation, but there was a Kamloops hatchery on the French River.
Also, once they've entered the river steelheads often take on the same vivid colors as "regular" rainbows.
In others words, I have no idea! Maybe one of the regional fisheries managers can answer you question.

best,
L