ENVIRONMENT YUKON
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Fish Species
Rainbow Trout (Steelhead) - Oncorhynchus Mykiss

Physical Characteristics
- A typically trout like body, rounded snout, large mouth and black spots on the back, dorsal, adipose and tail fins identify the rainbow trout.
- The back is bluish green to brown with white or dusky sides and underparts. Usually a light pink to vivid red distinct lateral stripe is visible.
- In lake populations with good food sources (generally stocked lakes in the Yukon) rainbows can reach 15 pounds in weight, but native stream fish typically weigh less than 3 pounds.
- Their flesh ranges from bright orange to pale pink and is very delicious.
Habitat and Feeding
- Adult trout feed mainly on crustaceans (freshwater shrimp), aquatic insect larvae (caddis and black fly), mollusks and the occasional small fish.
- The steelhead is a sea-going form of rainbow trout. When in the sea, the body is mainly silvery, with a blue back.
- At spawning time a band of red colour develops along each side of the body.
- After spawning, many adult steelhead go back to the sea and some, although usually not a high proportion, return to fresh water after recuperation to spawn a second time.
- Females survive more often than males.
- The young fish live for one or two full years in freshwater before travelling to the sea as smolts from 4-10" in length.
- This migration takes place in the spring.
- Steelheads have been reported from Alsek-Tatshenshini River system in the southwest corner of the territory.
- They are often confused with the native trout which also exist in this watershed. However, steelhead are much larger fish, averaging better than 5 pounds.
Additional Resources
Last Updated: September 16, 2009 | © 2009 Government of Yukon | Copyright | Privacy Statement | Disclaimer







