With the opening of steelhead on the Thompson River once again, I want to take this opportunity to dwell on these highly prized fish.
The question is often asked: What is a steelhead?
Let's begin bylooking at James Stanley's description in his book, Guide to becoming a Rainbow Master.
"Salmo gairdneri, the rainbow's first name, was penned in 1836 by J. Richardson, an early biologist-explorer Salmo is the latin name for the salmon of the Atlantic, while the rainbow's surname, gairdneri, is an attribute to Dr. Meredith Gairdneri, an early naturalist employed by the Hudson's Bay Co.
The rainbow's colour varies with habitat, size, and sexual conditions"
Over the years, anglers have distinguished these differing colourpatterns with different names. Darker stream fish are often called rainbow, brighter fish in small lakes are termed kamloops and the large, silvery migratory fish are referred to as steelhead."
As we have read, steelhead are simply a strain of large sea-going rainbow trout that have the same characteristics of all rainbows.
Some would argue that they are distinctly different but time and science have proven this untrue.
So closely related in appearance are thesesea-going fish to their resident fresh-water relatives that on the word of the good doctor, T. W. Lambert, it was believed for 50 years that no steelhead could pass Hell's Gate.
"It is hard to say how far the steelhead may run up the Fraser probably at least as far as the Coquihallafor up to this point there is nothing in the strength of the current to prevent; but above, in the Fraser Canyon, the tremendous difficulties of ascent may well stop progress.
The steelhead has not developed the powerful tail and anal fin of the pacific salmon, which must be a great aid to it passing through such strong water for such immense distances."
More on this amazing fish next week.
THE REPORT
Fishing on our Lower Mainland lakes is good. For better success, try concentrating on the warmest part of the day with Coachman, American Coachman, Professor, Wooly Bugger, Micro Leach, Sixpack, Dragonfly Nymph, Halfback, Doc Spratley, Baggy Shrimp or Zulu.
Fishing on our Interior lakes is fair to good.
Try Wooly Bugger, Micro Leach, Egg Sucking Leach, Pumpkinhead, Dragonfly Nymph, Halfback Nymph, 52 Buick, Doc Spratley, Green Spratley, Souboo or Baggy Shrimp.
The Fraser Basin chum fishery is expected to be reopened by the end of the week.
The Fraser River is fishing well for spring, and cutthroat.
For spring try Popsicle, Big Black, Flat Black, Stonefly Nymph, Squamish Poacher or Eggo.
For cutthroat try Eggo, Rolled Muddler, Tied Down Minnow, Mickey Finn, Stonefly Nymph or American Coachman.
The Stave River is fair for coho and cutthroat. For coho try Christmas Tree, Rolled Muddler, olive Wooly Bugger, Bite Me or Coho Blue.
The Vedder River is good for spring and coho.
The Harrison River is good for spring, coho and spring.
