Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Man Catches Record Rainbow

......and has to throw it back

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2015/01/...-throw-it-back/

A rainbow trout is an endangered species? WTH? Particular strain?

The right pec fin tells me that fish spent some time in a raceway at some point in it's life btw.

Could you please explain?

The right pec fin on that fish is even small for a fast growing fish, of which this is, as one can see by the other small fins in relation to the body. That fin was either damaged by other fish in a raceway (trout peck at each other's fins at high densities as in raceways) or it was partially clipped by someone and grew back -- albeit at a smaller size.

My guess is it was partially clipped.

And I can't see a dorsal fin either now that I look again.

That said I'm not saying that fish lived most of its live in a raceway or got that big in a raceway. Just saying it started out its life in one.

I still find it odd that the most common species in that state is considered endangered.

It's not considered a rainbow -- it's considered a steelhead.

"A steelhead trout is a rainbow trout longer than 20 inches. These fish with a clipped adipose fin-- which is located behind its dorsal fin-- may be kept in other waters in the state. This particular fish's adipose fin was intact so it was required to be set free. The fish was also protected because it was caught on a river that mandated throwing the species back. Steelheads, indeed, are considered to be "threatened," under the Endangered Species Act."

Thanks for the explanation Bocomo!

Where did your info come from?

That was obviously photo shopped, the dudes arms aren't even extended!!!

Ha ha!

I just clicked through to the quoted source: Fox News.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/01/15/28-...record-breaker/

Check the last paragraph.

A steelhead trout is a rainbow trout longer than 20 inches. These fish with a clipped adipose fin-- which is located behind its dorsal fin-- may be kept in other waters in the state. This particular fish's adipose fin was intact so it was required to be set free. The fish was also protected because it was caught on a river that mandated throwing the species back. Steelheads, indeed, are considered to be "threatened," under the Endangered Species Act.

That first statement by itself is absolutely not true. I have caught and grown plenty of rainbows over 20 inches that were definitely not steelhead. Perhaps that's the case in that river though?

Steelhead are simply sea run rainbow trout that return to fresh water to spawn. It is very common for state fish hatcheries to clip the adipose fin to distinguish hatchery fish from wild fish.

I wonder if the river this rainbow was caught at runs all the way to the coast without any dam impedements.

I'm guessing they arbitrarily set the length limit saying that all 20"+ fish are considered steelhead, regardless if they're actually ocean-run or not just for the purposes of enforcement aimed at protecting the true steelhead population.