1/19/2004 North Coast Report - Loose Eggs?

[sparkleboy]

No, winters can start spawning as soon as they come in the river, really.
The difference between summer and winter steelhead is, winter steelhead are sexually mature (ready to spawn) when they enter freshwater from the ocean. So they could very well be some spawning even in December, but it's unlikely. Winter steelhead usually spawn from Feburary to March, but there are always the outliers which spawn earlier or later. I caught a winter last May that had not spawned yet, so go figure.

[willametteriveroutlaw]

Most brats will be spilling this time of year (no matter of chromeness). Winter Steelhead are like fall chinook in the fact that the later you get in the season, the more likely they are to be loose.

[Fast Water]

Yep, what sparkleboy said.

Been spawning Winters at Merwin hatchery for the last month or so.

They still cut nice. :grin:

:smile:

[Siwash]

Like Sparkleboy said, there are always a few oddballs that fall outside the norm. I've personally seen winter fish that were already spawned out before Christmas, a chrome-bright broodstock fish in May, and VERY colored-up fish that still had sea lice. I guess it's kinda like how some kids start getting grown-up parts in 5th grade, while others don't "bloom" until high skool.

[Ty]

It is very normal for winters to be spawning now. Hatcheries generally start egg take arounf the beggining of the year hence, fish readyto spawn even right from the salt ar common.

Believe it or not, typically summers actually spawn later in the year than winters!! Think of winter steelhead like fall chinook and summer steelhead like spring chinook, except fer the fact that the summers spaan later in the year.

Next hen u catch, look at the vent if it is swollen cances are the eggs may be loose. Also check out the rib bones, and the general appearance of the fishies belly. Swollen and rib bones appear more than likely equals loose eggs.

[SKP]

Great info guys! I'll pass it along to my fishing buddy!

SKP :grin:

[SKP]

Two friends of mine went fishing yesterday to two different north coast streams. They fished one river, and caught one, an absolute chromer steelhead of about 8 pounds. My friend bonked it on the head, and eggs started coming out. He opened the fish up, and yep, the eggs were loose.

He thought the fish was nervous, and spit eggs after the wooden shampoo. All indications were the fish was just out of the salt.

Isn't it to early for the winters to spawn?

SKP :grin:

[Wannabe]

SKP
One other thing to think about is on some of the short coastal streams I believe those fish come in ready to drop there eggs in a heartbeat. "TY" had good info. I've had this happen to so now I'm very carefull to check out the fish before I bank em.
&lt))><