I have heard of people resembling their pets, but fish?

Yup twobob. It does look like one of those. Believe the world record rainbow was caught out of Saskatchewan a few years back (looked a a lot like that one pictured above)to break the old world record which was taken from Alaska... That fish pictured above does not look like a typical b-run steelhead from the clear water... Not like I've ever caught one but I've read a good amount on it and they are usually not fat like that. But yes I agree, if an ocean run wild rainbow makes its way to almost Montana... It should be a federal law to put that fish back because that's one heck of a trip it made to descend back to the ocean and then return multiple times. For the salmon river? No, I disagree.. . no need for catch and release

Based on the latest NY Outdoor News, DEC has confirmed the Vitamin B1 Deficiency as the root cause of the problem last fall (or is it still happening, no one is chiming out about it here.) While they have not said it, it would seem logical that a weak fish exposed to multiple exertions becomes a dead fish, same as a fish hung on a rope.  Maybe the weather is enforcing a moratorium on fishing for now, but if you are not into creeling fish, this might be a good year to put in the effort on some other species and leave the ironheads to recover.
 
Jes' saying'. 

Agreed- likely even forgo catch and release spring fishing. Less stress = more likelihood of breeding IMHO.
Read a report a week or two ago bout a guy fishing mid river still seeing occasional floaters or swirlers a couple of days in a row  ( new arrivals ?)
Guess we gotta wait for next year to see if it was lake conditions last Winter affecting forage choices, or an ongoing issue.
 
Either way it may well be that a lot of return breeders are out of the system now.
Issue may well be felt for  few seasons even if it clears next year.
 
 

Lucky what do you think... Lack of bait forcing steelhead to eat alewives which in turn competes against the Chinook population...add to that a 5 year bumper crop of steelhead and Chinook... Add lakers in to the mix... Think of a fish tank... You can putas many fish as you want it...but they need to eat... Thoughts???

As for steelhead reports, none from me knlh observations. No need to promote other peoples success... I am quite happy to see the vault in internet hype. I just hope some of these cluelesd newbies don't take a plunge fishing through slush on the lower river :/

I thought it was just the other way around db, over abundance of alewife in the steelheads preferred zone .
Maybe it was lack of predator fish ( salmon ) to keep them in check.. The lake guys want More salmon stocked, of course.
We marked LOTS of bait schools out there and few target fish.

Maybe tuna... I'm questioning it myself. Why are the steelhead eating more alewives???

Could the alewives be evolving chemically??? Question marks...

I understood it as Tuna described-likely caused by unusual conditions last winter.
This season- seeming more normal hopefully will change things back to normal -think without a lot of return fishes-  think it will be mostly cookies for a while-cept for those that make it through the times.
Like to see release only for anything bigger- like a slot size limit-at least  for a while.
 
NOT saying no steel  will survive as they seem to be getting over it in the river after a while but many seem to have died.
That's all IFFFF the bait was the only factor and IFFF its cleared up this season with weather.
 
The jury is still out on Kings and Hos.
Lake reports all season were of  few big Kings- at least on our end. I understood it that  shorts likely made the numbers in the States Lake Report.
Could Kings have been dying off sooner than the Steel for some reason causing the extremely poor run- if ya call that a run ???
 Saw far less spawn activity this year with them.
(yea yea it was OK in the zones--below that wasn't normal though from where I walked)
 
Still more questions than answers.
Next couple of years will tell about the Kings --without a definitive disease answer--  returns from the banner runs should be excellent barring other factors.
Frankly I would bet we have issues for a while with them.
Hate to be so negative.

Rt I to believe that last winter has a contribution to mother natures cycle. And believe it or not as cold as last years winter was, even an average winter this year could take the same toll. Lake is freezing up pretty good. Nothing but very cold for about a month from here on