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Steelhead trout, the sea-run form of rainbow trout,
is considered to be a variety of salmon, it has the
greatest diversity of life history patterns of any Pacific
salmonid species. When compared to the mundane habits
of resident trout, steelhead lead a very complicated
and dangerous life. Each spring thousands of 6-inch
steelhead smolt leave the streams to begin their ocean
journey. For every 100 smolt that reach the sea, only
five will return as a first-spawning adult. Unlike other
Pacific salmon, steelhead commonly spawn more than once.
Like many rivers in Washington, the Quinault is planted
with hatchery-reared steelhead that return from the
sea from late-October into March. Three hatcheries are
managed by the Quinault Indian tribe, which has had
great success with them. A combined total of 8 million
salmon and steelhead are reared and released annually
into the major rivers of the Quinault Indian Reservation
on the Olympic peninsula.
There was a time in the '70s when steelhead stocks
were in bad shape. The tribe began its hatchery program
using native stocks, dramatically boosting the number
of salmon and steelhead returning to the river. The
wild runs remain strong as well, the trophy-size natives
that return from mid-February into April are not commercially
fished, the tribe carefully surveys the spawning grounds
to ensure adequate escapement.
Quinault steelhead is at its peak during the big hatchery
run in December and January. These hatchery produced
steelhead from the Quinault Indian reservation are
the "wild salmon" we will be selling this
fall and winter. As these fish are hatchery fish a
limited amount of eggs are needed for reproductive
purposes leaving some eggs available for sale. They
make a wonderfuly fresh tasting salmon caviar.
Quinault river steelhead feed on the same food as
other wild salmon, producing the same rich flavored
red fleshed meat. The genetic tendency of steelhead
is to be a little leaner and more delicate in flavor
than that of other ocean-caught salmon. Many chefs
feel it is perhaps best cooked by poaching, steaming,
or in paper, all gentle cooking methods. I feel high
heat methods such as grilling or sautéing work
just as well as long as the fish is not overcooked.
Although many wild steelhead runs are endangered or
threatened. This season, 2001, steelhead returns on
the Columbia River and other rivers are encouraging.
The largest steelhead run in the history of dam counts
is crossing Bonneville Dam on its way up the Columbia
River. As of August 19, the count of steelhead at
Bonneville topped 390,000, Idaho fisheries officials
report, nearly four times the 1991 to 2000 average
of 96,000 steelhead. The current forecast for Bonneville
calls for at least 500,000 steelhead. Last year, 274,000
steelhead crossed Bonneville.
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