Dumb question about Steelhead

A place for readers to talk about river fishing in Washington.
Forum rules
Forum Post Guidelines: This Forum is rated “Family Friendly”. Civil discussions are encouraged and welcomed. Name calling, negative, harassing, or threatening comments will be removed and may result in suspension or IP Ban without notice. Please refer to the Terms of Service and Forum Guidelines post for more information. Thank you
Post Reply
User avatar
MikeFishes
Commander
Posts: 399
Joined: Sat Apr 28, 2007 9:42 pm
Location: Bothell

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?
Top
User avatar
racfish
Rear Admiral Two Stars
Posts: 4701
Joined: Tue Oct 30, 2007 4:11 pm
Location: Seward Park area

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
When youre up to your rear end in alligators,its hard to remember that the initial plan was to drain the swamp.
Top
User avatar
MikeFishes
Commander
Posts: 399
Joined: Sat Apr 28, 2007 9:42 pm
Location: Bothell

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.
Top
User avatar
Gringo Pescador
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 2564
Joined: Wed May 23, 2007 8:35 am

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..

http://www.washingtonlakes.com/forum/ya ... Trout.aspx
I fish not because I regard fishing as being terribly important, but because I suspect that so many of the other concerns of men are equally unimportant, and not nearly so much fun. ~ John Volker
Top
User avatar
chefjake99
Warrant Officer
Posts: 134
Joined: Fri Jun 04, 2010 6:35 pm
Location: Lynnwood

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.
"Three-fourths of the Earth's surface is water, and one-fourth is land. It is quite clear that the good Lord intended us to spend triple the amount of time fishing as taking care of the lawn." ~Chuck Clar
Top
User avatar
Fish_Bait111397
Captain
Posts: 696
Joined: Mon Mar 29, 2010 8:22 pm
Location: Phoenix,AZ

RE:Dumb question about Steelhead

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

Sounds like a dolly varden to me..
~Men and fish are alike. They both get into trouble when they open their mouths.


~My biggest worry is that my wife (when I'm dead) will sell my fishing gear for what I said I paid for it.
Top
EAmon___hoffman123
Warrant Officer
Posts: 109
Joined: Wed Jan 26, 2011 7:35 pm
Location: woodinville washington

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.
Fishing is cool. FOOLS
Top
User avatar
RiverChromeGS
Sponsor
Sponsor
Posts: 2460
Joined: Mon Dec 27, 2010 9:29 pm
Location: Bellingham, WA
Contact:
Contact RiverChromeGS

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
Attachments
pink_salmon_SSI.jpg
pink_salmon_SSI.jpg (115.43 KiB) Viewed 1649 times
http://www.riverchromeguideservice.com

River Chrome Guide Service specializes in salmon and steelhead fishing in Puget Sound and The Olympic Peninsula

Official WashingtonLakes.com Sponsor
Top
Post Reply

Return to “River Fishing”