You guys hit it on the head. I live in Steelhead country. In fact, I live where the Great Lakes got all their original stock (They recieved Skamania stock from Washington state that started their runs). A true Steelhead is simply a searun rainbow trout. And NO, they don't need a lake at all to spawn. In fact, the majority of steelhead spawn in rivers that DON'T feed into lakes. Most spawn in rivers. But some to go into lakes, but rarely.
Actually, there has always been a question though. I should dig down and actually do a search. But thought the Great Lakes were freshwater. So technically, they would be large rainbows (though they came from Skamania Steelhead stock). Like Lake Illiama in Alaska, they support HUGE fish, but they are Rainbow trout, since they don't migrate to the sea, they migrate down into the rivers to spawn, then go back into the lake. One of these days I need to check that out. I fished those rivers on the GL, and looks like an ocean to me (the lakes that is). But never asked about water content. Oh well, one of these days.
[ 14. June 2003, 08:58 AM: Message edited by: Steelheader69 ]