Aren't rainbow trout in a sea-run river under 20 inches? Just asking, these look under 20, thus are trout and are legal with a fin, I believe. I also believe anything with a fin over 20 inches is classified as a wild steelhead and must be released except on some coastal rivers where one per year is allowed. I am correct in seeing adipoise fins intact on these fish?If I'm wrom\ng let me know. Nice fish, I also like the name of the creek! Bob R

One of the more interesting screen names!

It looks like the adipose is half in tact, like it was clipped but they didn't get all of it. It doesn't seem to matter as it appears this fish didn't swim away anyway. It looks like 2 pictures of the same fish to me. If you look at the dorsal fin... that looks like it has been clipped in some way as well. Happy eating.

I really can't see the half fin, but I know they happen. When Melanie and I were fishing off Cape Flattery one summer with someone with a 25 ft. trophy and he caught a silver with half an adipoise fin, he was nervous about keeping it, Melanie said she would keep it and fight a ticket, we weren't checked so no problem, after taking to wildlife agents thay agreed and said an obvious hatchery clipping that isn't all the way off is O.K. to keep. Good job catching as the Wynoochee hasn't been kicking out many fish this year.Bob R.

Fish in the nooch this year are small and few. Keeping wild rainbows in this system does more harm than good. Keeping cutthroat at all is bad as populations have crashed in this and neighboring systems. It is also commonly understood that poaching is to blame.

Those are classic normal looking 5 pound wynoochee hatchery summer runs. Certainly not "wild rainbows" and that adipose fin is definetely clipped. Nice fish :)

I agree the fish are clipped steelhead. Not implying at all that the reporter is doing wrong.