Pond Trout vs. Steelhead Trout: What You Need to Know

Steelheads are some of the popular types of trout you can catch. They are born in freshwater rivers, lakes and creeks, just like rainbow trout, but others move to the sea once they hit a certain age. You can also find trout that are born and dwell in the ocean for their entire life. Also known as sea trout, these varieties are usually the most prizes and come with distinct flavours and vivid pink flesh. Steelheads can also qualify as sea trout, but they are just as adapted to living in freshwater and are much closer to rainbow trout. Below, we review the differences between steelhead and pond trout, including a few tips about farming them in your hatchery.

What Is a Steelhead Trout?

Steelhead trout refer to the anadromous species of rainbow trout. Most breeds swim upstream to spawn in rivers, and newborns remain there for one to three years. They later migrate to the sea and return only to spawn, after which they head back to salty waters. However, other trout will remain in the rivers and don’t make the trip to the oceans. These are known as rainbow trout. Steelheads are the ones that head to the sea and back to the rivers. The trip also expands their food choices and steelheads are usually much bigger than rainbow and pond trout.

What Is a Pond Trout?

As the name sounds, a pond fish is reared in a controlled pond habitat. There are various fish farming and stocking legislation, so it is vital to know the local regulations before you start a fish bond. You can stock many varieties of trout, including steelhead, brown, and rainbow, although it is advisable to have one breed at a time. That said, pond trout offer a steady supply of fresh fish and are vital in commercial fish farming. They require proper habitat maintenance and supplementary feeding using manufactured trout meals. You can have up to 300 trout in an average one-acre pond eight-foot deep.

The Difference between Pond and Steelhead Trout

Pond trout can be any of the known species, including steelheads. However, there are various distinctions because of the different habitats. We’ll be comparing wild steelhead trout with other pond trout bred for stocking and commercial markets. The key differences exist in the following areas.

1. Size

Wild steelheads average at 26 inches, which is significantly larger than what you can get from a fish pond. However, if you are rearing trout for commercial markets or personal use, they can get a little bigger than 8 inches. The stunted growth is mainly because of low oxygen levels in ponds, compared to naturally flowing rivers and seas. On the other hand, pond trout, especially those reared to repopulate rivers, lakes and fishing grounds, are significantly smaller and often released into the wild after the breeding season. This allows them to grow to around 6 to 8 inches.

2. Physical attributes

Wild steelhead trout are known for their distinct marking and colouration, with pink stripes running lengthwise. They are bright with bold spotting than most pond and rainbow trout. Steelheads also have a silvery look, a kype (hook shape in the lower jaw of male steelheads), and a nose that’s not as rounded or blunt as other trout. However, if you are raising steelhead trout in a pond, there won’t be any notable physical difference, except for the size they can reach full maturity.

3. Diet

Wild steelhead trout depend entirely on natural food sources, ranging from zooplanktons, when they are younger, to aquatic and terrestrial insects to worms, larvae, minnows, planktons, aquatic invertebrates, small fish, and crustaceans as they are older. They also eat small amphibians, rodents and small mammals. A hungry steelhead will eat anything from grasshoppers to cricket, frogs and young trout. That’s why it is advisable to remove as many adults as possible from the pond before introducing a new batch of young trout. Conversely, pond trout rely on what’s available within their human-made habitat. Most also feed on manufactured food and fish meals. They will come to the surface to feast on ants, hoppers, flies, and other insects brought by lush vegetation during some seasons.

4. Taste and Flavour

Steelhead trout are probably more tasteful thanks to a wider range of food options. During their life, steelheads will encounter various types of food in the rivers and seas where they dwell. They tend to taste more like salmon, albeit milder and are easily distinguishable from other trout, such as river trout, which have a sweet, nutty flavour. On the other hand, pond trout are desirable because they lack the fishy taste produced by natural amides. The taste of your trout will depend on the breed, pond conditions and the feed you give them.

How Steelhead Trout Differs from Other Trout

The majority of the steelhead trout you’ll find in the market are probably farmed, rather than caught in the wild. This means you can perfectly rear steelheads, which is the market name for rainbow trout. There’s little distinction between steelhead and rainbow trout. However, these anadromous fishes have various distinctions from other forms, as shown below.

Physical Characteristics – Steelheads are generally larger than rainbow trout and can grow to 55 pounds, reaching up to 45 inches long. They live for up to 11 years and spawn multiple times. Steelheads are also less colourful, with a silvery, streamlined body with rounder mouth. In fact, they get their name from the silvery (steel-like) colour and round head. Most have black dots with pink stripes running horizontally on both sides.
Migratory Patterns – Steelhead trout are born in freshwater rivers, lakes and creeks, where they remain until they are one to three years. Upon maturity, most steelheads migrate to the seas and oceans, and dwell in saltwater, returning to the rivers only when it is time to spawn, usually during the summer and winter months. The ones that remain in the rivers for their entire life are known as rainbow trout. Once the spawning season is over, steelheads return to the ocean.
Spawning – Steelhead trout are generally saltwater dwellers and migrate to the seas between one and three years after hatching. During the spawning seasons, they swim upstream to the rivers and freshwater tributaries to lay their eggs on gravel bottom. The females dig a hole (red) at the bottom of the gravel and lay up to 9,000 eggs. The male then fertilizes the eggs, before the female trout burries them.

Farming steelhead trout is quite similar to raising other breeds, and most eat the same food, except for bull trout, which is known to be the pickiest. If you are looking to stock steelheads, make sure you purchase fish meals and manufactured feed from reputable companies and brands. You can also mark your trout to effectively fish out the adults in time for introducing young ones at the end of a breeding season, so they can swim to the seas.

Summary

Pond trout can be any variety, including rainbow, steelhead, brown, marble, apache, Adriatic, Sevan, cutthroat, Ohrid, or any other type of trout. You can breed any variety in your pond if the regulations allow it. However, rainbow trout are the most common breed you’ll find in most ponds. They are easy to farm and mature faster. On the other hand, steelhead trout have distinct markings and grow to become larger and longer. They can also grow in a pond but require unique meals and conditions.

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