How to Tell the Difference Between a Male & Female Steelhead
- 1). Examine the fish's jaw. Males have a longer jawline than females, which often forms a knob on the male jaw tip. The male jaw size is similar to the Pacific salmon. Male steelhead also have a convex-sloped forehead that points out at the nose, while the females' entire head flows relatively seamlessly to the tip of the nose. The head of a buck is also larger than a hen's.
- 2). Check out the male body, which is generally compressed laterally, whereas females are round, meaning bucks are narrow and tall compared to hens. Look at the fish from above or head-on to detect these nuances.
- 3). Observe the adipose fins, which can be two to three times larger on a buck. Check out their teeth. The buck has significantly longer teeth, even fangs, coming out of their mouths. If you kill the fish, you can often find eggs in females, particularly when they are spawning.
- 4). Examine other types of salmon to determine physical features among males and females. Male pink salmon grow large humps and are often referred to as humpies. Chum salmon males grow a massive hooked jaw with sharp front teeth. Many of the defining physical characteristics are common among all male and female salmon. Fish such as the chinook have more extreme versions of these characteristics, such as a massively elongated jawline.
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