Dumb question about Steelhead

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MikeFishes
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Dumb question about Steelhead

Post by MikeFishes » Fri Sep 09, 2011 8:30 pm

Okay, I feel dumb about asking this question. I feel that I should already know this but when it came time to test my knowledge, I wasn't 100% sure.

We hit the snoho this morning over by thomas eddy and the first fish I hooked into wasn't a pink. At least, I don't think it was. It looked a bit like a pink, but it had spots on it's back. Not just spots, but like leopard spots (so, not solid, but outlines) It had spots on it's tail but it's mouth was completely white. It did have coloring along the laterial line like a rainbow/steelhead.

Now, could this have been a hen pink? I guess I'm getting stuck on the white mouth (completely white). Is it possible a pink with a white tongue? We didn't think of getting a picture of it before we released it.

Are there steelhead in the snoho? This late in the summer?
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racfish
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RE:Dumb question about Steelhead

Post by racfish » Fri Sep 09, 2011 8:44 pm

Yes. The only dumb question is the one you dont ask.There are steelies in most all rivers in King,Pierce,Snohomish, Skagit,Whatcom Counties. All these rivers get Salmon Steel, Bull ( Dolly varden) and Sea run Cutts. If you caught a fish with rainbow markings like a trout most likely its stellhead. Now is Summer Run. Late october Nov. Starts pretty much winter run. Sometimes fishing Tokul in Dec witll get you a summer run. Most fish go with the freshets. Rivers will only get better if we could get a lil rain. JMO
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MikeFishes
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RE:Dumb question about Steelhead

Post by MikeFishes » Fri Sep 09, 2011 8:48 pm

racfish wrote:Yes. The only dumb question is the one you dont ask.There are steelies in most all rivers in King,Pierce,Snohomish, Skagit,Whatcom Counties. All these rivers get Salmon Steel, Bull ( Dolly varden) and Sea run Cutts. If you caught a fish with rainbow markings like a trout most likely its stellhead. Now is Summer Run. Late october Nov. Starts pretty much winter run. Sometimes fishing Tokul in Dec witll get you a summer run. Most fish go with the freshets. Rivers will only get better if we could get a lil rain. JMO
Man, I'm really regretting not getting a picture of it. Nice looking fish.
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Gringo Pescador
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RE:Dumb question about Steelhead

Post by Gringo Pescador » Fri Sep 09, 2011 8:59 pm

Could have been a steelhead, but sounds more like a dolley to me..

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chefjake99
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RE:Dumb question about Steelhead

Post by chefjake99 » Fri Sep 09, 2011 11:29 pm

There are certainly steelhead in the snoho at this time of year. My stepbrother caught one a couple weks ago almost in the same spot as you were at.
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Fish_Bait111397
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RE:Dumb question about Steelhead

Post by Fish_Bait111397 » Sat Sep 10, 2011 12:01 am

Sounds like a dolly varden to me..
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EAmon___hoffman123
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RE:Dumb question about Steelhead

Post by EAmon___hoffman123 » Sat Sep 10, 2011 12:11 am

Some spawnig hen's have weird stripes on their sides as well as spawing bucks.
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RE:Dumb question about Steelhead

Post by RiverChromeGS » Wed Sep 14, 2011 4:14 am

Yea Eamon is right, a slighty colored HEN pink salmon has a red stripe EXACTLY like a steelhead, they actually look like little steelies at times. If the spots were black, then its a Hen pink salmon, if the spots were white, it was a dolly. But seriously if u thought it was a steelie it was likely a pink, the hens can look a LOT like steelhead at the right stage of coloring up!

See the spots and the red stripe on the pink below? thats my guess, hen pinkie
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