I see very little as well. I saw two last weekend and both were from a couple of fellers culling their stringer at walnut.
Where I live, all the best fishing for larger trout are on c-n-r regs waters whether its a stocked Clarks creek, or a fingerling stocked Little Juniata or a non stocked Letort. A classic example is Big Fishing creek trophy trout section. FULL of trout, but try and catch one over the 14" size limit. I am no expert on the tribs but have to wonder how it could be so different. Its not like they die off like salmon.
But I wonder about alot of things, and some surely die off from stress.
Is that red thing in your icon actually a steelhead eggsac?

ORIGINAL: bluehalo

????
Shut up and Mike,
Your claim is that if everyone kept their catch (almost ALL keep the very largest) that it wouldn't have an impact on size of returning steelhead.
What if everyone RETURNED their catch instead? Are you not then saying this would also relate to no size difference in the average steelhead?
It seems common sense to me that 4 yr old fish will be larger than 3 yr old fish. The more larger fish you release, the more larger fish you get next year. No?

Keep in mind we're talking huge, abnormal numbers of fish here.  All I'm saying is that you can't possibly see the difference really.  Yes, obviously, if the fish are being released they have a chance to get bigger.  Thats a no brainer, but since there are so many fish in these streams, we can't possibly see much of a difference.  I also think that keeping some of the fish from waters with over abundance of fish, like these, would be doing the fishery more good than bad.  Overpopulation of any habitat is usually it's demise.  I believe if you cut the current population of the fish in half, you will see bigger and better quality fish....less competition for food and healthier returns.  You have to also keep in mind that those fish spend approximately 8 or 9 months in the streams per year which has to be a pretty stressful environment with all those fish and fishermen.  Far too many fish in these streams IMHO, but again they have to keep all those fishermen happy too!     

ORIGINAL: bluehalo

????
Shut up and Mike,
Your claim is that if everyone kept their catch (almost ALL keep the very largest) that it wouldn't have an impact on size of returning steelhead.
What if everyone RETURNED their catch instead? Are you not then saying this would also relate to no size difference in the average steelhead?
It seems common sense to me that 4 yr old fish will be larger than 3 yr old fish. The more larger fish you release, the more larger fish you get next year. No?

No is correct.

There are multiple factors involved but if everyone returned their catch and nobody kept any:

- You'd see alot more dead fish immediately after the ice jambs ground them up.

- You'd see alot more dead fish in the spring that die of infection.

- IF none of that happened, then in 2 years you'd see alot of smaller fish and a few bigger ones.
   While you'd have more fish in the lake because of C&R, the food source would remain the same.
   More fish + same food = smaller fish.

All Great Lakes are regulated by the Great Lakes Commission. It's a multi-state thing (IL,IN,MI,NY,OH,PA,WI).  No one state can simply decided to change any thing that will have an effect on the environment within the lakes. This includes stocking fish.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe when PA decided to stock browns, they in turn had to reduce the number of steelhead being stock by the same amount. This is due to the available food source in the lake.

So while I understand what you are saying and how C&R works on inland waters, realize that those streams stocking numbers are calculated with the notion that there are already fish in the stream that have survived from previous stockings so that there is enough food for the fish in the stream.

With the Great Lakes, you are dealing with migratory fish of multiple species that all eat basically the same thing. If want bigger Steelhead, stock fewer OR Keep more Steelhead, Walleye, Perch, White bass, Sheephead, Smallmouth, etc. Fewer fish would mean more oxygen and more food for the ones that are there.

have to agree Tom, only saw 1 belly up so far this year.  Dave

Spoon,as far as I can remember I think you are right,not sure of the specific number.

I don't know that the fish this year are any larger than the past few years. I carry a tape measure and true 30" plus Steelhead are not as common as some think. Some fish are girthy and can carry more weight so weight can be argued. I also know years ago there were less Steelies in the creeks and they were much smaller in size. Maybe the strains of fish have changed through the years but they are nicer size the last 10 years. Ice will also kill a lot of Steelies in creeks the size of Elk. I too see very little stress kill of fish ,actually finding dead Steelhead in all Erie trib waters is rare.

I've seen some big fish this year but was really impressed when I helped this guy land one this weekend... I felt bad I thought he was a newbie from the way he was fighting the fish, but then I realized who he was and wasn't tryin to Hassle the Hoff!! 
 

Look at the size of that boyz head !!!