I had an interesting chat last night and during it I was told of the capture of a fish in Hampshire that is believed to be a female steelhead. The stream in which the fish was caught is regularly stocked with rainbows and in recent years some small rainbows have been caught with markings that appeared to be parr markings. During the last weekend a fish that could well be a steelhead was caught. At the moment its identity has not been difinitely confirmed but the anglers involved are very experienced anglers one of whom has caught steelheads when fishing abroad. As soon as there is a judgement on what the fish is I will report back on it. Unfortunately at this stage I cannot reveal the water or the names of the anglers, but if the fish is what it is hoped to be all will be revealed in the near future.
Hampshire Steelhead
- Thread starter Chevin
- Start date
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Nigel Connor(ACA ,SAA)
Guest
I presume you mean a stocked rainbow that has migrated to the sea and returned to freshwater?
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Nigel Connor(ACA ,SAA)
Guest
Chevin, I thought the stocked rainbows were triploid fish and therefore could not breed although I believe there are one or two breeding populations of rainbows in the country.Is it the case that these fish have bred, as you refer to small rainbows with parr markings?
I would be interested to know if this is a chance natural phenomena or the result of a fishery owner trying to improve his fishing by selective stocking.
I would be interested to know if this is a chance natural phenomena or the result of a fishery owner trying to improve his fishing by selective stocking.
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Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA)
Guest
I am not an expert on triploid fish, other than reading about how they are produced.
However I don't doubt that some rainbow trout that are not triploids may have got into the River Test and migrated to the sea.
Steelhead rainbows have occured in a few other places in the world where there were not originally indigenous. Parts of South America, New Zealand and even South Africa have seen evidence of migratory rainbow trout, and even brown trout in the past. A number of rivers on the Falkland islands have good runs of seatrout too. The Eerste Rivier, which flows near to Cape Town had runs of both steelhead and seatrout in the past, until it was horribly polluted with wine farm slurry in the 70s.
However I don't doubt that some rainbow trout that are not triploids may have got into the River Test and migrated to the sea.
Steelhead rainbows have occured in a few other places in the world where there were not originally indigenous. Parts of South America, New Zealand and even South Africa have seen evidence of migratory rainbow trout, and even brown trout in the past. A number of rivers on the Falkland islands have good runs of seatrout too. The Eerste Rivier, which flows near to Cape Town had runs of both steelhead and seatrout in the past, until it was horribly polluted with wine farm slurry in the 70s.
I have no idea of the history of it all. I just related the information I was given by an angler who does know a steelhead when he sees one. The fish he described to me was like the female steelheads I have seen. I know nothing at all about triploid fish but I have caught rainbows from the feeder stream concerned and it was carrying so much spawn it burst from it as I landed it. Whether a triploid fish carry spawn or not I have no idea. Anyway, the fish is being examined and whether it is or isn't a steelhead I will report back on the matter in due course.
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Nigel Connor(ACA ,SAA)
Guest
Keep us posted.I have a day on the Test in December.I may have to up my tackle a bit!!
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Andy "the Dog" Nellist (SAA) (ACA)
Guest
In 1980 I caught a Rainbow in salt water in an estuary in Brittany, France. The fish which accepted a chunk of razorfish was covered in sea lice.
Neil Maidment
Moderator
Mid 1980's (85 I think), I landed a Rainbow of just over 3lb from the "Clay Pool" area of the Hants Avon (where it meets the Stour and both merge into the estuary).? Obviously an escapee but it was in superb condition.? I returned it but I guess it probably didn't last long!