AB 98 Report post Posted June 7, 2016 7 hours ago, manthew said: Steelhead are trout that go into salt water and return to fresh water to spawn aren't they? Wouldn't that make the "steelhead" around here just rainbow trout? Stir stir Okay Chef.........if a Steelhead has to come from fresh water, or its just a Rainbow trout...... What do you suppose we call these Chinook, Pink, Coho and odd Atlantic salmon things swimming around in Superior and its Tribs??? Keep stirring and add spice! AB Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manthew 5 Report post Posted June 8, 2016 Steelhead are anadromous, meaning they spend part of their lives in the sea, while rainbow trout spend their lives mostly or entirely in freshwater. Because of their different lifestyles rainbow trout and steelhead are different in appearance, most noticeably in size and color. Rainbow trout derive their name from their beautiful, multi-hued coloration. Their bodies are blue, green or yellowish, shading to silvery white on the underside, with a horizontal pink-red stripe running from the gills to the tail and black spots along their backs. Steelhead are generally more streamlined in shape and silvery or brassy in color as adults, earning them the name steelhead. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fisherdude 69 Report post Posted June 9, 2016 Here we go... 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mickleburgh2 2 Report post Posted June 9, 2016 Rainbow trout spawn and live their entire lives in the rivers/streams. Steelhead are born in rivers/tributaries of larger bodies of water (Lake Superior for example, not necessarily the ocean), they live in the lake/ocean before returning to spawn in the tributary. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bin fishin lots 125 Report post Posted June 9, 2016 A steelhead goes in the smoker and a rainbow goes in the frying pan lmao Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
spindilla1 42 Report post Posted June 9, 2016 On 6/7/2016 at 11:50 AM, I❤️Specks said: They can both cost a shitload to catch. You could spend the same amount on both and have success though.. I'll admit steelhead can definitely cost more. This is the thing. Salmon and steelheaders do both (Salmon/Trout/Bass/Walleye). Bass and walleye anglers usually only do that. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Castnblast 86 Report post Posted June 9, 2016 5 hours ago, bin fishin lots said: A steelhead goes in the smoker and a rainbow goes in the frying pan lmao ^ lol, +1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mad scientist 140 Report post Posted June 9, 2016 Shakespeare said something about roses and names.... OK, so what's a rainbow and what's a steelhead? Guess it depends on the context. Taxonomicly, they're the same species, Oncorhynchus mykiss. That's really the only name that counts...all the colloquial names are based on opinion, regional differences, and change through history. It's no different than "pop" and "soda". Legally, they're all rainbow trout. The Ontario Fishery Regulations, 2007 lists the official English common name for every species of fish in Ontario. http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/SOR-2007-237/page-6.html#h-39 Scientifically, they're also rainbow trout. The American Fishery Society periodically publishes a document that lists the official taxonomic, English, French and Spanish common names of every species of fish in North America - these are the names that are supposed to appear in scientific literature. http://fisheries.org/docs/pub_fish_names.pdf None of this lends any credence to the term "steelhead". So what's a steelhead? Before I read up on it, my understanding was much the same as others on this board...that steelhead were migratory fish that spent part of their lives out in the big lake, or in the ocean. But when I dug into the literature, I found out that on west coast, steelhead are considered a migratory strain (but not quite a subspecies) of rainbows, and that it was this strain that was originally, specifically selected to be stocked into the Great Lakes, whereas other strains were used to stock inland lakes. SO...in my humble opinion, you can call Great Lakes migratory rainbows steelhead, because they are descendant from bona fide west coast steelhead strain. 3 Quote I'm going out to fish. - John 21:3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
spindilla1 42 Report post Posted June 9, 2016 This species is differentiated by migration. Steelhead are migratory rainbow, other rainbows spawn in the lake. ^ opinion is right. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
spindilla1 42 Report post Posted June 9, 2016 On 6/7/2016 at 7:29 PM, AB said: Okay Chef.........if a Steelhead has to come from fresh water, or its just a Rainbow trout...... What do you suppose we call these Chinook, Pink, Coho and odd Atlantic salmon things swimming around in Superior and its Tribs??? Keep stirring and add spice! AB They call those pacific salmon except for the Atlantic which is an Atlantic salmon. If they did not run into the creeks they would be called landlocked salmon which can only be an Atlantic. Same difference from steelhead and rainbow from Atlantic and landlocked. Walleye and bass are not this interesting. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AB 98 Report post Posted June 10, 2016 I'm pretty certain landlocked salmon - true land locked Atlantics, need to move into a lakes tributary stream to successfully reproduce. Fishing trout and salmon in current is a ton of fun. But then the same 16 inch walleye you hook in a lake becomes a monster when he has current to aid him. Same for Bass..... Inch for Inch, a smallmouth is going to cream a trout, lb for lb its a different story....but who knows, I've never hooked an 8lb smallmouth....wish I could though AB Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fisherdude 69 Report post Posted June 10, 2016 That's another good point...you won't be catching to many bass the size of the trout/salmon that youl catch. Another point that I think is the biggest one is the fact that the style (usually) is just way more fun and exciting in itself. I'd waaaaay rather spend a day exploring a new river or stream not knowing what's around the corner, or trying new pools over driving around a lake in a boat and fishing shorelines or reefs. The fish are just more beautiful and the things they have to go through trump all in my mind. Don't get me wrong tho I love bass and walleye fishing to though. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
summer-run 2 Report post Posted June 10, 2016 7 hours ago, spindilla1 said: They call those pacific salmon except for the Atlantic which is an Atlantic salmon. If they did not run into the creeks they would be called landlocked salmon which can only be an Atlantic. Since you brought up the pacific salmon " my neck of the woods" you might want to look up the Kokanee vs Sockeye scenario. Atlantic Salmon are not the only landlocks! Nice pic of the pin in your avatar. Pretty pricey out east. Milners,Kingpins and Islanders are popular out here for the pin heads. But the Big Daddy is still the MacDonald pin. You mentioned in an earlier post in this thread of SOME of the big ironhead rivers of the West Coast. Well all I can say is Your Hating it, if your not Skating it! Time for me to get the Sled ready, fish are just starting to push into the Skeena! I have learnt a long time ago that there is no special method of fishing this vs that. It is all the same in the long run. "The tug is the drug" Cheers Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
spindilla1 42 Report post Posted June 10, 2016 9 hours ago, summer-run said: Since you brought up the pacific salmon " my neck of the woods" you might want to look up the Kokanee vs Sockeye scenario. Atlantic Salmon are not the only landlocks! Nice pic of the pin in your avatar. Pretty pricey out east. Milners,Kingpins and Islanders are popular out here for the pin heads. But the Big Daddy is still the MacDonald pin. You mentioned in an earlier post in this thread of SOME of the big ironhead rivers of the West Coast. Well all I can say is Your Hating it, if your not Skating it! Time for me to get the Sled ready, fish are just starting to push into the Skeena! I have learnt a long time ago that there is no special method of fishing this vs that. It is all the same in the long run. "The tug is the drug" Cheers Ahh yes I forgot about the Kokanee and Sockeye but we do not get those here in Ontario thus not a topic for this conversation. The tug is the drug, I like that! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Clewis 25 Report post Posted June 10, 2016 On 9 June 2016 at 10:07 AM, spindilla1 said: This is the thing. Salmon and steelheaders do both (Salmon/Trout/Bass/Walleye). Bass and walleye anglers usually only do that. Hmm maybe, I do all! Smallies and steelhead are my life. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
