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[coryandtrevor]

Howdy,

   My buddies and I were talking about this on the weekend while watching our floats drift by. Does anyone have information on how many times a Steelhead would come back to spawn ( say into the Vedder for instance ) ? We were wondering how many times would be the maximum based on their lifespan which we had no idea of how long that is. As well, I know the first timers come back after about 3 years out in the ocean, would the 2nd or 3rd timers ( if they do that) wait another 3 years after the initial spawn to come back again or would it be every year after the first time ?

CandT

[mastercaster]

My bro-in-law who works for fisheries says that in the Charlottes it's not uncommon for fish to come back 3 times because there's less pressure and the systems that they spawn in are shorter so there's a better chance of survival.  Four times is the most that he has ever heard of.  You can tell by reading scale samples.

They usually return to the salt for 1 1/2 year period but they have been known to return after just a 6 months (spring, summer for summer runs and part of the winter as well for winter runs) ...not as common, though.

[frenchy]

I have read that about 10%, almost only females, of the fish survive the freshwater trip and come back a second time to spawn(like Atlantic salmons).
I am not sure how much it varies from one river to another

[redside1]

for local rivers you will see mostly 2 salt fish followed by 3 salt fish. The 2 salt fish will typically weigh 5-8 lbs and the 3 salt fish will usually be  10lbs+. After spawning the repeat spawners will come back the following year. Some will be larger other times not much bigger than their first time spawning size. I once caught a 3 time spawner in the Cheaklamus that weighed 9lbs. Some fish will return as 4 salt fish and they can be the big ones.

[frenchy]

Just curious and interested, how did you know it was a 3 time spawner?

[mastercaster]

Unless you're packing a microscope to the river and you know how to read fish scales, which by the way is quite an art, you'd never know how many times a fish has spawned.

When you read a steelhead's scale to determine whether it has spawned before you will see a pattern of rings, much like a tree.  When the fish is in the ocean it is relatively living stress free and the rings usually are a little wider apart but when the fish enters fresh water stress begins to set in because the fish stops feeding, etc. so the pattern is broken.  It is usually thinner or darker.  When and if the fish makes it back to the ocean the pattern changes back to the stress free pattern.  When the fish comes back to spawn again the pattern will change once more and so on.  It's quite a science and you'd need someone who specializes in this to show you the changes in the pattern because it's not that easy to detect.

Steelhead in the Copper R.( located below Sandspit on the Queen Charloote Is.0 have a very high rate of multiple spawning.  One in three comes back for a second spawn.  I don't know if Fisheries still does it but they used to have to set up a trap to stop the mending kelts from getting back to the ocean in May because there's a early run of sockeye that comes into the Copper during this time and the Natives net them.  If the nets were set up on the weekend the traps would be employed so the kelts couldn't be netted.  After the native netting was done the traps were opened to allow the fish to get to sea.  I wonder if they're still doing this?  Anyway, hope this answers your question.

[frenchy]

Unless you're packing a microscope to the river and you know how to read fish scales, which by the way is quite an art, you'd never know how many times a fish has spawned.

yes you can look at the otholiths too. I already did it, it is not that difficult  .
I also know that there was a radio tagging program a few years back on the Cheakamus. I think it is also possible to have the info this way.

Steelhead in the Copper R.( located below Sandspit on the Queen Charloote Is.0 have a very high rate of multiple spawning.  One in three comes back for a second spawn.  I don't know if Fisheries still does it but they used to have to set up a trap to stop the mending kelts from getting back to the ocean in May because there's a early run of sockeye that comes into the Copper during this time and the Natives net them.  If the nets were set up on the weekend the traps would be employed so the kelts couldn't be netted.  After the native netting was done the traps were opened to allow the fish to get to sea.  I wonder if they're still doing this?  Anyway, hope this answers your question.

1/3, wow, that is a lot. Thanks for the info

[CAPTAIN BONK]

I'VE HEARD OF STEELHEAD SPAWNING UP TO 5 TIMES ! 

[redside1]

Just curious and interested, how did you know it was a 3 time spawner?

It was back when you could take them home. I did and MOE at the time was there and took a scale sample. They sent me the results.

[Blue Heron]