It is my understanding that in rivers containing steelhead, that just like all other salmonids that run to the sea, that there are random members of the population that are known to not run. These fish are called residuals as a group, or Kokanee when sockeye, or rainbows when part of the steelhead clan.
Overfishing of the indeginous rainbow population led to their demise in the last 75 years in Washington where they were not considered worthy of catch limits. They are only now beginning to return due to the increased fish protections. Not a fishieries biologist, I just pay one on the 'net. Rob On Saturday 02 August 2003 07:29 am, Dean Endress wrote: > BILL, > > The Coastal Rainbow group is comprised of Both Steelhead & resident > Rainbows. The interesting thing is that in many west coast drainages you > will find both "races" in the same Drainage.. I know that the Applegate & > Illinos Rivers which feed into the Rouge River in Oregon have populations > of the Resident Rainbows along with runs of Steelhead. I also am pretty > certian the Yuba River here in California has Both races as well(Thought > the DFG is sorta un-decided as to how to tell the difference). The > interesting thing is that the Resident Rainbows have access to the open > sea, but have evolved to where they rarely venture out into the ocean.. > (It's confusing I Know). I have also rwad that you can catch both Return > Steelheads & the Resident rainbows in the same stretches of water (more > confussion...). I'd hazard a quess that the Resident Rainbows will look > like "A Typical" Rainbow (Which is an Oxymoron statement...But...) And The > Steelhead should be that Gun metal Grey back with the Silver/white sides. > However...as we , who fish for Steelhead know, if the Steelhead stay in > fresh water long enough (and some runs stay in up to 6 months) The > Steelhead will re-vert back to a "Rainbow" colour scheme... Also the > Resident Rainbows could migrate down into the Lake & evolve a Lucustrine > colour scheme...Silvery colouring with Pastel shades of their Stream > (Reparian) colouring.. (Damn this is getting soo Confusing..so sorry). Hell > Goldens in alpine lakes develop a Silver Phase.... !!!!!!! Bill, I'd > recommend contact with the Local Fish & game Biologist about if they are > Resident rainbows you are catching or Steelhead... You Will LOVE that > Book!!!!!!! > > DEAN.... > > Bill <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Hi Folks, > > I was catching what I thought was rainbows on the upper Quinault river here > on the west coast of Washington. Somebody said that they were steelhead. > OK, this river dumps into a lake (Quinault Lake) and then continues about > another 10 (just guessing) miles to the ocean. So, if the fish just go to > the lake or are just resident in the river they are rainbows? Right? If > they continue on to the ocean then they are steelhead? Right? So how do you > tell? They don't seem to be huge & I've seen some very big steelhead. Can > anybody help me clear this up? DEAN? Where are you. Oh, by the way I just > got my copy of "Trout and Salmon of North America" today. What an awesome > book... maybe it will help. Thanks in advance... > > Bill > > > > --------------------------------- > Do you Yahoo!? > Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free, easy-to-use web site design software -- In my family there was no clear line between religion and fly fishing. Norman Maclean
