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Steelhead Fishing

Steelhead is another name for 'rainbow trout.' These species of fish have been introduced to 45 countries worldwide, including areas in the pacific ocean in Asia and North America, as well as central, western and northern parts of the United States. The arctic plane of Antartica is the only country you will not find the steelhead fish.


The Steelhead was originally named by Johann Julius Walbaum in 1792. Recent DNA studies show the rainbow trout is genetically closer to pacific salmon then to brown trout.

Like salmon, steelhead are 'anadromous.' This means that the Steelhead will return to it's original hatching ground to spawn. Salmon die after spawning, but not the Steelhead fish. Steelhead will rejuvenate after spawning so that they may return to the oceans of the world, to start the anadromous cycle all over again.

Smolts (immature Steelhead which were just spawned recently) will usually remain in the river where they are spawned for about a year before finding the sea or ocean. Salmon on the other hand return to the sea as smolts, so you can see the unique difference the Steelhead fish posesses. Throughout the year, different populations of Steelhead will migrate seperately. The life span of a Steelhead or Rainbow Trout fish is approximately 1 to 2.5 years.

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