A question for all Steelheaders - pics

[steelie hunter]

Got out and fished a trib for a few hours yesterday morning. Was able to land two, the bigger one came out of a big pile of junk.

The smaller one has some pretty colours, and odd colours I would think. Check out both pics. If it didn`t have red rosie cheeks and a pink stripe, I would have thought it was a Brown Trout. It has a lot of yellow/gold around its mouth, and around its cheek. The whole fish was a light gold colour as well. And the spots are different from any steelhead I have caught. They are almost in the shape of a "v".

 

So, is it just a regular steelhead with unique colours? A resident? I researched golden rainbow trout, maybe thats what it is? Just curious. The pictures just dont do justice. After the pics, he was quickly released.

 

Lets here some opinons!!

[fishinguypat]

nine mile? and those aren't golden trout they are just rainbows with different spawning colours

[steelie hunter]

not the Nine mile, and I know not Golden trout, they are only native to california....there is a such thing as golden rainbow trout.... look at the pic again if you need, its pure yellow... then again you havent caught a steelhead before either though right?

[aniceguy]

just a plain ordinary colored up steelhead

[fishinguypat]

true dat

[Sinker]

Atlantic??

[kemper]

Different systems get different coloured fish... I fish a small river and the smaller fish have an orange colour to them, especially the fins. Go figure?

[Twocoda]

http://dnr.wi.gov/fish/pubs/rainbowtrout.pdf

 

 

as others have already stated

[vinnimon]

The first two pics theyve been there a while,last pic a fresh runner.And as others have stated different spawning colours.Ive caught them being almost black and pink in the niagara to olive green and gold tone to pure silver.I think from the brownish tones,the creek must be sand bottom and olive tone for the water.And somewhat clear with spring runoffs. Ive seen this variation before in a creek on the same day.

[phatfish]

tiger trout only will get up to 16 inches

[asdve23rveavwa]

Good question...I would tend to agree with most of the posts here, however, almost looks more like a resident rainbow than any steelhead I have caught. Don't think I have ever seen one quite as yellowish in colour.

[solopaddler]

Not a resident, definitely a steelhead.

Nice catch btw.

[asdve23rveavwa]

Not a resident, definitely a steelhead.

Nice catch btw.

 

There you go...was hoping solopaddler would chime in! By the way...Merry Christmas to all who read this, all the best in the New Year...have all of next week off, so my fingers are crossed for some open water and maybe a steelhead or two!!