Steelhead Trout

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Those steelhead trout will put up a fight, but they're worth it.

Steelhead trout are the sea-going cousin of the rainbow trout and are similarly known for putting up a hard fight. The average length of a steelhead trout is 20-30 inches. The body of a steelhead trout is similar to that of a rainbow trout with a somewhat compressed and rounded snout and a large mouth. They both have colors that range from steel-blue, blue-green, yellow-green to almost brown and most all have a number of small black spots, while steelhead tend to be more silvery.

Steelhead trout are most commonly found in the eastern Pacific Ocean. They have also been introduced into New Zealand, Australia, South America, Africa, Japan, southern Asia, Europe and Hawaii. The life expectancy of the steelhead trout is generally about 6-8 years. They first feed on plankton then insects and as they grow older, crustaceans and other fish.

The flesh of the steelhead trout is usually bright red and rich in smaller individuals and pink to white in larger trout. The steelhead trout is rated one of the top five sport fish in North America because of the hard fight they put up. And many anglers tell legendary tales of the epic conditions of landing a hooked steelhead in a fast, rocky river in winter.

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