For most anglers who have encountered both winter and summer steelhead, it’s abundantly clear there are differences between the two races of fish. For one, they enter freshwater at different times of the year, although there is some overlap. In addition, there are physical differences. Summer steelhead tend to be more fusiform — sleeker and more firm bodied …
Science Friday: Certain genetic families survive better in hatcheries and might help explain why hatchery steelhead do poorly in nature
Spring is here and we’ve got a real shot of warm weather on the West Coast. Certainly, spawning steelhead appreciate the ecological effects of this boost in thermal energy. Last week we reviewed a recent paper on repeat spawning in steelhead in the Hood River, Oregon. This week, we return to the Hood to look at another paper out …
Science Friday: Why are half pounders declining in the Trinity River?
When anglers dream of steelhead, they mostly fantasize about fish that have spent 2-4 years in the ocean and return to freshwater to spawn as full adults, packing four or more pounds and brutish power into their physique. However, one of the most common forms of returning steelhead in some rivers is not the adult, but the so-called half-pounder. …
2017 – a Bad Year or Part of a Trend?
Ocean conditions are vitally important for wild steelhead runs — probably every steelhead angler knows this. But what does that phrase really mean? The ocean is a massive and incredibly complex system, and there are many factors out in the big blue that can influence steelhead in any given year. That is why it is so difficult to parse out …
Science Friday: What the heck do all those acronyms mean?
Science Friday! Another chance to dive into the weeds and define some of the jargon used when discussing, studying and evaluating hatchery steelhead. This week we focus on acronyms commonly used in hatchery management plans. Anyone who has read through a Hatchery Scientific Review Group plan or review, or most any resource management plan for that matter, has probably …