Steelhead in California

California waters

Most fished first. A species missing from an agency list does not mean it is absent; this page lists only waters whose list names it (at least 5 are needed for a page).

• Lower Sacramento RiverAgency list: California State Parks, Division of Boating and Waterways
• Yuba RiverAgency list: California Department of Fish and Wildlife Fisheries Branch
• Klamath RiverAgency list: California Department of Fish and Wildlife Fisheries Branch
• Trinity RiverAgency list: USDA Forest Service
• American RiverAgency list: California Department of Fish and Wildlife Fisheries Branch
• Feather RiverAgency list: California Department of Fish and Wildlife Fisheries Branch
• Smith RiverAgency list: California Department of Fish and Wildlife Fisheries Branch
• Russian RiverAgency list: California Department of Fish and Wildlife Fisheries Branch
• San Joaquin RiverAgency list: California Department of Fish and Wildlife Fisheries Branch
• Eel RiverAgency list: California Department of Fish and Wildlife Fisheries Branch
• Carmel RiverAgency list: California Department of Fish and Wildlife Fisheries Branch
• Mad RiverAgency list: California Department of Fish and Wildlife Fisheries Branch
• Gualala RiverAgency list: California Department of Fish and Wildlife Fisheries Branch
• Mokelumne RiverAgency list: California Department of Fish and Wildlife Fisheries Branch
• San Lorenzo RiverAgency list: California Department of Fish and Wildlife Fisheries Branch

Identification

• Adult steelhead back from one to three years at sea are usually heavily marked with irregular dark spots, both above and below the lateral line.[2]
  What the source says

  “Adult steelhead which have spent 1 to 3 years in the ocean are generally heavily spotted with irregularly shaped dark spots both above and below the lateral line.”

• Fresh from the ocean, steelhead can look much brighter and more silver than resident rainbow trout.[2]
  What the source says

  “Steelhead fresh from the ocean can be very bright and much more silver in color than resident rainbow.”

• Washington describes steelhead as having dark spots over the whole fish, tail included, with slight to strong rainbow colouring.[3]
  What the source says

  “Steelhead also have dark spots scattered over the entire fish, including the tail, with slight to pronounced rainbow coloring.”

More on identifying steelhead

Status, protections and rules

As each agency stated them on the date read; a rule applies only where its agency says so. Check the current regulations for the water before you fish.

• Under the US Endangered Species Act, NOAA Fisheries lists one steelhead DPS as endangered and 10 DPSs plus one experimental population as threatened.[1]
  What the source says

  “Under the Endangered Species Act, one distinct population segment (DPS) is listed as endangered, while 10 DPSs and one experimental non-essential population are listed as threatened.”

• NOAA's threatened steelhead units are California Central Valley, Central California Coast, Lower Columbia River, Middle Columbia River, Northern California, Puget Sound, Snake River Basin, South-Central California Coast, Upper Columbia River and Upper Willamette River; Southern California is endangered.[1]
  What the source says

  “ESA Endangered Southern California DPS ESA Threatened California Central Valley DPS Central California Coast DPS Lower Columbia River DPS Middle Columbia River Northern California DPS Puget Sound DPS Snake River Basin DPS South-Central California Coast DPS Upper Columbia River DPS Upper Willamette River DPS”

• Oregon's March 2024 notice for the Santiam River said anglers cannot keep wild winter steelhead but may keep hatchery steelhead, which have the adipose fin removed; wild fish have it intact. Rules vary by river and year, so check current regulations.[4]
  What the source says

  “While anglers cannot keep wild winter steelhead, they can still fish for and retain hatchery steelhead or hatchery spring Chinook. The peak run timing for these fish in the Santiam basin is usually in May and June, though some early fish do arrive in April. Hatchery summer steelhead have their adipose fin removed while wild steelhead have theirs intact.”

Water temperature in California

• Under CDFW's 67°F lineThat is not over the 67°F CDFW uses for its voluntary “Hoot Owl” watchlist: “Sustained afternoon water temperatures exceeding 67 degrees Fahrenheit for trout fisheries could trigger additions to the list.” Water warms in the afternoon; check again later in the day.
• Over 67°F: fish before noonCDFW's voluntary “Hoot Owl” guidelines “recommend fishing before noon on certain inland waters, as even catch-and-release angling during the hottest parts of the day can greatly increase fish stress and mortality.” Sustained afternoon water over 67°F is what CDFW says “could trigger additions to the list.”

Sources: CDFW Recommends “Hoot Owl” Practices for Fishing Inland Waters During Drought (15 July 2022) (California Department of Fish and Wildlife).

Destination hubs

Hubs that list one of these waters, or that a water page is near: each has guides, shops, licences and trip planning for the area.

• Redding & the Lower Sacramento, California2 steelhead waters

Hatch & season charts

• California19 sourced rows

Sources

Every fact on this page is our paraphrase of the page cited beside it, read on the date shown. Rules and seasons change: check the agency's current regulations before you fish.

1. Steelhead | NOAA Fisheries NOAA Fisheries, read Oct 24, 2026.
2. Steelhead / Rainbow Trout Species Profile, Alaska Department of Fish and Game Alaska Department of Fish and Game, read Oct 24, 2026.
3. Rainbow trout | Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, read Oct 24, 2026.
4. Santiam River anglers reminded of regulations to protect threatened winter steelhead (ODFW news, March 7, 2024) Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, read Oct 24, 2026.