Originally Posted By: Cecil Baird1
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?


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.

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