Fish identification help

[Trout Slayer_7]

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.

I agree with this 100 percent

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.

The only problem is that it is incredibly rare to find redband a west of the cascades

 

[WaveCrawler]

The only problem is that it is incredibly rare to find redband a west of the cascades

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.

 

[Trout Slayer_7]

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.

Hmm that’s interesting are they similar in coloring to the one that I caught?

 

[Grant22]

Hmm that’s interesting are they similar in coloring to the one that I caught?

That’s a redband.

 

[jamisonace]

Hmm that’s interesting are they similar in coloring to the one that I caught?

Every trout picture I posted on this thread are Mckenzie redsides. I don't see similarity in shape or spotting.

 

[Trout Slayer_7]

Every trout picture I posted on this thread are Mckenzie redsides. I don't see similarity in shape or spotting.

Yeah I agree with that they look very different making me think it’s a different species or at least a different strain

I’ve caught redbands before in central Oregon but they have a different coloring.