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[dave c]

Had a very successful last couple days.  Landed 5...... 3 wild 2 hatchery...... not very often do i have multiple steelhead days.....it seemed to me that the wild fought harder than the hatchery.  Has anyone else noticed this?

[Matt]

Yes.  Here's why.  In the wild, the more fit males are able to chase off lesser males, and breed with the most genetically fit female who's got the best redd location.  The resulting offspring are the result of parents with good genes.  The fish with poor genes aren't afforded the advantages of good mates and prime redd location and their offspring don't have as good a chance of survival.  The end result is that healthy fish survive to produce healthy offspring.

Note: "fitness" refers to genetic fitness!  Thanks, Rod.

The hatchery process doesn't pair fish like this, so an unfit male may spawn with a fit female, resulting in fish with mediocre set of genes. 

In a nutshell, wild fish are healthier genetically, and thus often fight better.  Other factors of course come into play- water temperature, how fresh the fish are, when it was last hooked, and where in the mouth etc.  These other factors would partially mask genetics.

[Noahs Arc]

Generally I'd say they fight harder although I've been fooled more then a couple times.

[jacklam999]

Had a very successful last couple days.  Landed 5...... 3 wild 2 hatchery...... not very often do i have multiple steelhead days.....it seemed to me that the wild fought harder than the hatchery.  Has anyone else noticed this?

how can u distinguish them, i heard theres some differenes on the dorsal fin right?

[Fish Assassin]

Wild steelhead still has it's adipose fin intact. Hatchery fish's adipose fin is clipped.

[Rodney]

http://www.fishingwithrod.com/glossary/hatchery-marked-fish.html

[dave c]

Yes.  Here's why.  In the wild, the more fit males are able to chase off lesser males, and breed with the most fit female who's got the best redd location.  The resulting offspring are the result of parents with good genes.  The fish with poor genes aren't afforded the advantages of good mates and prime redd location and their offspring don't have as good a chance of survival.  The end result is that healthy fish survive to produce healthy offspring.

The hatchery process doesn't pair fish like this, so an unfit male may spawn with a fit female, resulting in fish with mediocre set of genes. 

In a nutshell, wild fish are healthier genetically, and thus often fight better.  Other factors off course come into play- water temperature, how fresh the fish are, when it was last hooked, and where in the mouth etc.

tks for the reply matt. while your response for the most part makes sense, hatchery offspring come from wild broodstock, and some mediocre wild spawn do survive, therefore not all wild that survive are necessarily from dominant genes.  My train of thought is that hatchery fry are raised in a controlled environment until they are released, (fed regularly, no predation etc.,) resulting in a lower than normal "survival mode"  (for lack of a better term), when predation ie,; hook in mouth does occur!

[firstlight]

Ive had both good fights and sluggish fish from both types.
If a fish has just been caught its obviously not going to fight as well the second and third time around considering this can happen in a short period of time.
Im still not convinced that one fights better than the other though.

[Silex-user]

Ive had both good fights and sluggish fish from both types.
If a fish has just been caught its obviously not going to fight as well the second and third time around considering this can happen in a short period of time.
Im still not convinced that one fights better than the other though.
[/quo

X2........ also when the water temp. is very cold both Hatchery and Wild steelies fight is  can be a dull, sluggish fighter whereas, when water temp. is warm up a bit  they can be phenomenon fighters.


Silex-user

[Noahs Arc]

tks for the reply matt. while your response for the most part makes sense, hatchery offspring come from wild broodstock, and some mediocre wild spawn do survive, therefore not all wild that survive are necessarily from dominant genes.  My train of thought is that hatchery fry are raised in a controlled environment until they are released, (fed regularly, no predation etc.,) resulting in a lower than normal "survival mode"  (for lack of a better term), when predation ie,; hook in mouth does occur!

The early stages of life for a wild fish is more trecherous, but even the hatchery clones are in "survival mode" the second they're dumped in the river to smolt. From that moment all the way out to the chuck and back, and if lucky, to do it a second time, is pure survival mode no?
There is no grocery store for them to pick up a loaf of bread along the way.

[leapin' tyee]

Ive had both good fights and sluggish fish from both types.
If a fish has just been caught its obviously not going to fight as well the second and third time around considering this can happen in a short period of time.
Im still not convinced that one fights better than the other though.

x2   

[typhoon]

Meh. My buddies 11lb hatch doe from 2 weeks ago made 2 large runs and 2 spectacular twisting leaps while the 15+ wild buck I caught earlier this year was a bit of a limp rag. 
I can't tell from the fight whether it's wild or hatchery.

[dave c]

Meh. My buddies 11lb hatch doe from 2 weeks ago made 2 large runs and 2 spectacular twisting leaps while the 15+ wild buck I caught earlier this year was a bit of a limp rag. 
I can't tell from the fight whether it's wild or hatchery.

thanks guys .... chalk up my experience of the last two days to....coincidence!!!

[firebird]

Meh. My buddies 11lb hatch doe from 2 weeks ago made 2 large runs and 2 spectacular twisting leaps while the 15+ wild buck I caught earlier this year was a bit of a limp rag. 
I can't tell from the fight whether it's wild or hatchery.

Water temperature plays a part too. If the temp. was hovering around 3C when you caught the wild earlier in the year and around 6 or 7C when you caught the hatchery a couple of weeks ago, there would be a big difference in their energy level. Mint bright fish in the dead of winter can be very disappointing.

[bigblue]

I have also found water temperature to be critical in how well a steelhead fights.
Fresh run steelhead hooked in late March and early April fought better than ones hooked in January whether wild or hatchery as higher water temperature made them a lot more active. Also, fish that has been longer in the river tends to be less acrobatic and feisty. Summer run fish whether steelhead, coho, pinks or spring makes some of the most spectacular jumps and runs by far. I have had summer run springs which made screeching 200 yard dash down river and literally flew themselves on the beach when I ran out of line.