Peter Baye found unique-looking Steelhead in the Gualala. He wrote, “On my list for show and tell is the return of those rare pale juvenile Steelhead that look almost silver-gold ["sub-leucistic"?] on the Wheatfield Fork. I haven't seen any in years. They stand out in dark pools where their typical dark olive-backed peers, other Steelhead parr and Gualala Roach, are well-camouflaged against the dark algae-covered cobbles and gravel."

"In past years, I have seen sub-adults with this pigmentation. More often, if I find atypical adult pigmentation, it's almost blue-black. I think the folk name is actually "blueback" steelhead. The Kingfisher predation seems to be very low this year, so I guess it's not a big hazard to glow in the dark like this! It's from a deep, dark pool with cooler water stratified -layered- at the bottom.”

Here's a photo showing young Steelhead and Gualala Roach.

Thanks to Peter for allowing me to share his photos with you here.

It's sunny, breezy and warm here today!