and Rainbow Trout are the same species, they differ only in spawning
behavior. The
Steelhead is an anadromous fish; meaning that it migrates to
a stream to spawn after living in Lake Michigan. The Rainbow
Trout spends its entire life in streams.The Steelhead and Rainbow
Trout are distinguished by its white mouth, black spots on the
back and the entire tail and 12 or fewer anal fin rays. The Steelhead
is known as great migratory fish or wanderer, and fish from Michigan
rivers can show up in Wisconsin waters.
Rainbow trout feed on insects and fish. Many spawn in early spring
with eggs laid in gravel at the head of a riffle area, but some
are fall spawners. Rainbow trout as with other trout, do not
normally die after spawning, like the Pacific Salmonids of Coho,
Chinook and Pinks.
Some Steelhead reach a hefty 16 pounds at age six, although the
average rainbow caught weighs
six to eleven pounds. The current state records for lower Lake
Michigan are as follows:
| Wisconsin |
27 pounds 11 ounces |
1997 |
| Illinois |
31
pounds 6.72 ounces |
1993 |
| Indiana |
26.46
pounds |
|
| Michigan |
26
pounds 8 ounces |
1975 |
In surrounding
waters, there are at least four varieties of Steelhead, each
with a different timing on their spawning migrations. Chambers
Creek, Skamania, Manistee and Ganaraska are the major varieties
of Steelhead found in our waters. This provides for a year round
fishery for the mighty Steelhead.
It is especially
important to practice catch and release with Steelhead and Rainbow
Trout because they don't die after spawning, and will return
to their natal waters year after year.
| Next Fish Background |
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