Northwest Fishing Reports

My husband caught a male rainbow trout in spawning form at Beaver Lake (Issaquah, WA) yesterday. Had beautiful color and was a little darker than normal. It had a long jaw & hooked nose. Was full of sperm. I know they planted breed stock in the lake last October but when we caught them right after they planted they just looked like a "normal" rainbow trout. First question - Do trout change back to normal form after they going in spawning form? I was told they don't die after spawning like salmon do. Second question - Are they decent to eat? When we caught after the plant early in the season they were pretty fatty and didn't taste all that great.

Could it be the steelhead stock that they planted last year?

I know they planted the retired brood stock last October but I am not sure about steelhead. The steelhead that I seen pulled out of other lakes last year that were stocked very silvery and in the 10 - 12" range. This one was very colorful and dark. He was 16" and weighed a little over 1 lb.

Steelhead would be a few years away from spawning. Probably a brooder but rainbows will get all ready to go even if they don't have a place to spawn.... Like a small stream. I think there is just such a thing at the end away from the launch and park.