Requirements

To support a naturally sustaining population of steelhead, two things are necessary: a clean and accessible stream environment for a nursery area and a deep body of cool water in which the fish can mature. The amount of nursery area is directly proportional to how large a run of adult fish a stream or river will produce. Typical steelhead nursery habitat is interspersed with alternating pools and riffles, with sufficient spawning gravel throughout.

Variations in the stream gradients will not affect habitats, but water temperature will. Steelheads are able to withstand higher water temperatures than many of the chars, such as the brook trout. But like any fish, their metabolisms and activity rates are governed by the environment around them, i.e., water. They have no way of controlling their own body temperatures. When water temperatures are to their liking, they'll be active and remain in that environment. But when water temperature is falling fast, fish will start moving downstream to deeper, slow holes. (The effects of water temperature and clarity in determining fish location are discussed on p.23 under the heading "Reading the Water.") (Figure 2-1.)

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