After a recent fishing trip, we were cleaning our days catch of four hatchery steelhead, all of which were fairly bright hens, when we noticed that all four were completely spawned out. Why are these steelhead spawning in the river before they get to the hatchery?

Several possibilities exist, some of which a biologist could detail better than I. It is really not at all unusual, even in December, for very bright hatchery hens to have at least "loose" eggs.

Hatchery fish undergo "selection" in the same way wild fish have for eons, but the selection is directed toward entirely different characteristics. Hatcheries are generally spawning the fish that come in first. These fish have developed tendencies to run up the river quickly, in a big mass, and to be ripe when they arrive at their destination (the hatchery). The ones you caught, were perhaps a bit late in getting to their destination, so dumped their eggs as it was simply"their time".

Dude, I'm not saying this has never happened to me but this time of the year you got to looking for down river fish or "re-brites". Not only did you kill fish that have already done their thing but they taste like crap. And don't listen to any idiot who thinks they will smoke up good. They don't...Normally, by taking a good look at the belly it's quite obvious they have already spwaned and should be released.....

They will be snakey.