Is It a Steelhead or a Rainbow Trout?

September 17, 2009

Question: I have been trying to decipher the wild steelhead regulations and the definition of anadromous waters. Based on what I’ve read, I believe a rainbow trout is considered to be a wild steelhead if it meets the following criteria: 1) is 16 inches in length or greater, 2) has an intact adipose fin, and 3) resides in anadromous waters (waters that somehow connect to the ocean). Is this accurate? Are there wild steelhead trout in non-anadromous waters?

Also, if I’m fishing in a body of water known to have wild trout, do I need to have a Steelhead Report Card in case I catch a rainbow that fits the steelhead description listed above? Thank you. (Larry G.)

Answer: Steelhead are rainbow trout that migrated out of fresh water as juveniles and spent some portion of their life in the ocean before returning to fresh water to spawn. According to Steelhead Program Coordinator Terry Jackson, adult California steelhead are usually at least 16 inches in length. It is not possible to be sure, however, if a large rainbow trout (16 inches or larger) in anadromous waters has been to the ocean without examining a scale (fish scales can be “read” like tree rings) or an otolith (a bone in its head, which unfortunately requires sacrificing the fish), so this regulation reflects probabilities based on years of data.

Your basic wild steelhead definition is correct, and in most cases any wild steelhead caught must be immediately released. One exception is the Smith River, where some harvest is legal (current limits are one wild steelhead per day and five annually). In addition, harvest of hatchery steelhead (adipose fin-clipped) is allowed in many streams in the state, so check your freshwater fishing regulations for specific waters (CCR Title 14, Section 7.50).

As to whether wild steelhead live in non-anadromous waters, for the purposes of the regulations and the Steelhead Report Card, the answer is no. Technically, some rainbow trout that originate in non-anadromous waters (such as above a dam without a ladder or falls) will occasionally escape and migrate downstream to the ocean. But when they return as adult steelhead, they remain in the anadromous portion of the stream.

Because the rainbow trout/steelhead matrix of potential life history from generation to generation is so complex, DFG designed Steelhead Report Cards to better understand and track steelhead. If an angler is fishing for steelhead or keeps an incidentally caught steelhead where harvest is allowed, then they must have a Steelhead Report Card and fill it out per the instructions. If the angler is not fishing for steelhead and responsibly releases any incidentally caught steelhead, or if they are fishing in non-anadromous waters, a Steelhead Report Card is not required. Additional information regarding the steelhead regulations and the Steelhead Report Card program is available at:  http://www.dfg.ca.gov/fish/Fishing/Monitoring/SHRC/index.asp