Steelhead Fishing Rules

Steelhead are Rainbow Trout, and there are strict rules you must follow to catch them.steelhead image by pearlguy from Fotolia.com

Steelhead, or Rainbow Trout, are very popular to fish for, especially in the Northwest. These are special fish with interesting life cycles, however, that require them to go from the river to the ocean and back again in their lifetime. Steelhead fishing can be a relaxing and rewarding experience, but there are some strict rules you must follow to help with conservation efforts while you enjoy the sport.

Wild Steelhead Rules

Conservation efforts are moving forward in many Steelhead fishing states and regulations have been put in place dealing with wild Steelhead for this reason. Most regulations are built around a catch and release policy for wild Steelhead. If you catch a wild Steelhead in a regulated area, you must release it immediately and do no harm to it. Most regulated areas are anadromous waters, meaning that the wild Steelhead in that water start their lives there, go to the ocean, then travel back to the same location to spawn. Wild Steelhead can be identified because they have not been altered in any way by humans, as many hatchery fish have.

It is important to check with the individual location you are fishing to find out the specific regulations of that state for keeping Steelhead that you catch. Each state defines a "Steelhead" differently. For instance, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife defines them as Rainbow Trout over 16 inches in length who are missing their adipose fin. Idaho, however, defines a Steelhead as a Rainbow Trout that is over 20 inches long, who is missing its adipose fin. Most hatcheries clip the adipose fin of their fish to identify them, and some clip a fish's maxilla, which is the upper bone that looks like a lip on the mouth. There are differing limits to the amount of Steelhead that can be taken. Some need to be recorded with the state as well.

Many places have begun tagging both wild and hatchery Steelhead to track their sizes and migration patterns and understand the fish populations better. If you catch a fish that has been tagged, you will find that tag attached to the fish. The tags often look like little colored pieces of string. If you catch a hatchery fish that was tagged, you will need to call it in to the state's department of fish and wildlife and report it, but you may still keep it if it is within the limits. If you find a wild Steelhead that has been tagged, some states will want you to report it even though you must release it, and some prefer that you don't even report it and that you release it immediately.

Each state requires that you have a fishing license for that state, usually by the age of 14. Fishing licenses can last anywhere from a visitor's pass of only a few days to as long as five years. You will occasionally have to get a report card for reporting the amount of Steelhead you catch.