Fishing Wales: Lifecycle - Fishing Visit Wales

Range (Great Britain)

Introduced, widespread and common.

Habitat

Introduced to Great Britain over a Century ago. Native to Pacific coast of North America. Almost always stocked as hatchery-produced fish in UK. Lives in freshwater/estuary, upland or lowland streams, rivers, pools and lakes. Needs cool, clean water with relatively silt-free gravels for spawning usually from mid-October to December in small streams. Rarely establishes self-sustaining stocks in UK.

Biology

Eats invertebrates, particularly insects, and fish. Can attain weights of 10kg + in fish farms and lives for up to eight years. Usually matures at two or three years, often recovers after spawning. Selective breeding has given rise o ‘blue’ and ‘golden’ varieties – these are occasionally stocked to add variety to fisheries. Migratory form known as Steelhead. Spawning rarely appears to be successful in the British Isles. Occasional sea-run steelhead are recorded from various UK rivers.

Identification

Variable in colour but usually has a dark greyish blue back and a pale greyish blue belly. It always has a reddish or purple band running from the jaw to the caudal fin and is more or less covered in black spots, these being absent only from the belly.