Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 8
Anatomy of a
Predator - STEELHEAD
by Carl Haensel
photos by the author
Steelhead anglers are full of admiration for their quarry.
Descriptions like "silver bullets" and "chromers" are
often used when describing these fish. In Pennsylvania,
young steelhead are stocked into Lake Erie tributaries and
migrate downstream into the big lake. In the fall, adults
ascend the tributaries, where these fish were stocked. Its
fighting ability, size, and beauty inspire anglers to pursue
steelhead. Understanding its unique characteristics may
give you a better chance at catching a big one the next
time you are on the water.
Erie and stocked as smolts. The coloration helps protect
steelhead from predators as these fish grow and swim
into Lake Erie.
The coloration of adult steelhead is optimal for
the time fish spend in the vast reaches of open water.
Native to the West Coast, steelhead historically mature
from smolts into adults in the Pacific Ocean. After its
introduction to Pennsylvania, the same coloration of a
light underside and dark topside is beneficial in Lake
Erie. It helps smaller fish hide from predators and larger
ones ambush prey.
When a steelhead returns to spawn, its color gradually
changes from shiny and silver to a brilliantly hued
rainbow of colors accentuated by a large red stripe
extending laterally down its sides. It is at this point that
anglers may see that steelhead are a large ocean or lake
dwelling form of Rainbow Trout. As steelhead spend
Camouflage and coloration
A wild steelhead begins its life in a stream or
river, hatching from an egg laid in the gravel.
After hatching, a young, wild steelhead lives for
at least a year in its natal river. Called smolts at
this life stage, young fish exhibit vertical, blueblack bars along the sides and spotting over the
whole body. The bars are called parr marks. This
varied coloration helps steelhead blend in with
rocks and debris in the riffles and runs these
fish inhabit. Pennsylvania steelhead are raised
This young steelhead smolt is nearly ready to head to Lake Erie to start quickly
in the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission growing. Vertical parr marks are commonly found on steelhead this size and
(PFBC) Fairview State Fish Hatchery near Lake help camouflage the small fish to avoid predators.
8
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater * November/December 2020
www.fishandboat.com
http://www.fishandboat.com
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - Cover1
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - Cover2
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 3
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 4
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 5
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 6
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 7
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 8
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 9
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 10
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 11
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 12
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 13
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 14
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 15
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 16
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 17
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 18
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 19
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 20
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 21
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 22
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 23
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 24
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 25
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 26
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 27
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 28
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 29
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 30
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 31
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 32
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 33
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 34
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 35
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 36
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 37
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 38
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 39
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 40
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 41
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 42
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 43
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 44
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 45
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 46
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 47
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 48
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 49
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 50
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 51
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 52
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 53
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 54
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 55
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 56
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 57
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 58
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 59
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 60
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 61
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 62
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 63
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 64
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 65
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - Cover3
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20240102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20231112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20230910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20230708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20230506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20230304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20230102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20221112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20220910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20220708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20220506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20220304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20220102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20211112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20210910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20210708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20210506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20210304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20210102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20201112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20200910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20200708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20200506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20200304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20200102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20191112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20190910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20190708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20190506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20190304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20190102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20181112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20180910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20180708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20180506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20180304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/201780102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20171112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20170910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20170708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20170506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20170304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20170102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20161112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20160910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20160708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20160506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20160304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20160102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20151112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20150910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20150708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20150506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20150304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20150102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20141112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20140910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20140708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20140506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20140304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20140102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20131112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20130910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20130708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20130506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20130304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20130102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20121112
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com