Why Do JD Steelies Have Color?

[letsfish]

I have had two great trips to the John Day this fall, to which I am extremely thankful to Andycoho and KentuckyHogHunter. My brother asked me why do the fish have so much color(as opposed to fresh fish in the Clackamas). I presume they have been in the fresh water for a while, or is it a strain thing. If I recall, a nate, brought boatside was bright but all finclipped were full of color. Also wondering about Clack summers, last December my brother released one it was very colorful, yet I see pics of summers caught late that are bright. I think I read something about hens brighting up after spawn.
Any ideas on these steelie issues?

[rob allen]

Cause they have been in fresh water since in some cases June and the latest probably left the Salt in August. They are quickly losing their stores of fat and the meat begins to fade from red to pink to hardly any color at all. Thats why i suggest anglers leave them alone after the first of the year. let them save their remaining energy to spawn in March April and May

[Mad Mikey]

Could be many different factors. Rob touched the #1 though. Not unusual at all to get a bright Summer fish in the Clack or Sandy in the Fall too. A small amount of those fish don't return until Sept.
I know the Sandy still gets a small shot of them around silver season, last few years weren't too good but I remember having some good days for very bright fish in the lower end of the river.
One thing about the coloring that still facinates me is why the bucks get the red coloring on their skin more than the females.
I learned this from a fish biologist years back but am not good at the technical aspect or the names of the pigments, but I believe the iodine and or carotine in the meat of hens travels towards the eggs as they develop and the pigment in the bucks goes to the skin which makes total sense to me.