Rainbow and Steelhead

[Giantfish]

I can't tell the difference between a rainbow and a steelhead trout. They both have pink and look alike. Are they twins? They are exsactly alike, is there a difference? I am stumped good on this one :-/ So help me out.

Giantfish

[Fishermansfly]

The male steelhead is the one that looks like a rainbow, the female a bright silver. Steelhead are of the trout family, born in a stream and then head out into the ocean for adult hood only returning to spawn. The rainbow trout, of course, never leaves the stream! There is a term for this for which I'm not sure! Hope that answered your question!

Ever heard about placing a goldfish in a small bowl? How it won't grow bigger than it's habitat, so if you place it in a small bowl it will stay small, but if you put it in a large bowl it will grow bigger! Bigger enviornment, more food, larger food and different food make for big fish!

It's good to see a young inquisitive mind, exspecially in my line of work! Keep it up kid, and you'll outfish us all soon!

Fishermansfly

[ruggerfly]

FYI,

If you still looking for the term for migrating fish such as steelhead and salmon (ocean to fresh water to spawn) it is anadromous. Just google "steelhead" and "Wikipedia"(internet encyclopedia) and read for yourself.

[RFowler]

Its not just a saltwater gig either, steelhead will migrate up tribs from big lakes, too. There are some steelhead in the South, you just need know where to look.

[tn hound]

where do you look?

[RFowler]

It's not my find, TH. Even if it was I would most likely keep it on the down low. Think of it this way. A steelhead is a lake or sea run rainbow. If a lake produces rainbow trout then it produces steelhead.

[troutwag]

Check out the Snowbird Creek listing on the Troutfishing in other States section, page 2. I would like to see someone else waving a fly rod over there in the winter.
Tight lines,

[kylemc]

Its not just a saltwater gig either, steelhead will migrate up tribs from big lakes, too. *There are some steelhead in the South, you just need know where to look.

Kyle