Spawning trout in Beaver Lake

[herefishy]

My husband caught a male rainbow trout in spawning form at Beaver Lake (Issaquah, WA) yesterday. Had beautiful color and was a little darker than normal. It had a long jaw & hooked nose. Was full of sperm. I know they planted breed stock in the lake last October but when we caught them right after they planted they just looked like a "normal" rainbow trout. First question - Do trout change back to normal form after they going in spawning form? I was told they don't die after spawning like salmon do. Second question - Are they decent to eat? When we caught after the plant early in the season they were pretty fatty and didn't taste all that great.

[wlai]

Could it be the steelhead stock that they planted last year?

[herefishy]

I know they planted the retired brood stock last October but I am not sure about steelhead. The steelhead that I seen pulled out of other lakes last year that were stocked very silvery and in the 10 - 12" range. This one was very colorful and dark. He was 16" and weighed a little over 1 lb.

[Bodofish]

Steelhead would be a few years away from spawning. Probably a brooder but rainbows will get all ready to go even if they don't have a place to spawn.... Like a small stream. I think there is just such a thing at the end away from the launch and park.