My take is that it's a fat rainbow that has potentially spawned with sea-run steelhead... it happens - and it's definitely in spawn mode. It could be a jack, for sure... but I'd rule out it being a salmon or full sea-run steelhead. I think it's a spawning fat-ass rainbow trout. Lovely fish dude.
Let's examine the facts.... Steelhead are merely anadromus trout. What you are holding looks like a kind of large rainbow (non-anadromus) I see in the Deschutes called a "red-side" and yes they are very hard to tell apart from a Steele.
I agree I've only ever seen them well east of the cascades. Dosent men there can't be similar genetics else where.
Shaun Solomon
There’s that whole mysterious “fall spawning rainbow” thing too.
Well, we all seem to agree it’s most likely not a sturgeon.
O. mykiss
There are native rainbows west of the cascades. Redbands are desert rainbows. I grew up fishing the McKenzie and its full of native redsides that are resident fish.
There are native rainbows west of the cascades. Redbands are desert rainbows. I grew up fishing the McKenzie and its full of native redsides that are resident fish.