Steelhead: Alaska Fish Species Guide

The anadromous rainbow trout shares attributes with rainbows, especially ones that live predominantly in big lakes. When they return from the saltwater, they are mostly chrome, with black spots on their backs and both lobes of their tails, and pink coloration in a stripe along the lateral line and on the gill plate. As they get closer to spawning, fish will get darker, especially males, with backs that are greenish and red coloration from the lateral stripe down.

Rainbow- and steelhead trout are considered the same species. Steelhead are typically larger, but more streamlined than the freshwater form. They live from 4- to 11 years; unlike anadromous salmon in Alaska, steelhead can spawn and don't necessarily die. Some return to spawn multiple times. An average steelhead is about 28 inches long and 6 pounds, really big steelhead can reach 40 inches and 20 pounds.

Alaska Steelhead Runs

Steelhead are caught in rivers in Alaska. It's a very rare steelhead that gets caught in the saltwater. There are two distinct steelhead seasons in Alaska: spring and fall. Most Southeast rivers host spring returns of steelhead that begin in late March and continue through May. Best places to fish for spring steelhead include the Situk River in Yakutat, Thorne River and Staney Creek on Prince of Wales, and countless rivers both named and unnamed all throughout Southeast. Fall returns are the norm in Southcentral and the Alaska Peninsula. Southcentral hot spots include Anchor and Karluk rivers. Intrepid anglers willing to travel to the untamed Alaska Peninsula will fish in rivers like the Sandy, and probably experience some steelhead nirvana.

Steelhead Fishing Gear

When steelhead return to rivers they can be caught many different ways: free drifting jigs, side drifting aero puffs, casting and retrieving spinners or spoons, dead drifting Soft Beads, back trolling plugs, swinging streamers—and once on the line, prepare for a serious fish fight. Steelhead are powerful, explosive, and exhilarating. The method you choose to fish for steelhead will ultimately determine the power, length and action of rod to use, but in general, anglers fish with rods in the 10- to 20-pound range, that are 8- to 10 feet long, and fast action. An 8 weight fly rod is good medicine for Alaska steelhead.

Spring Run:

• Situk River in Yakutat
• Thorne River in Prince of Wales
• Staney Creek in Prince of Wales

Fall Run:

• Anchor River
• Karluk River

Always check current area ADF&G regulations before fishing.