Editing Steelhead (section)

== Spawning ==
{{More citations needed section|date=January 2022}}
During [[Spawn (biology)|spawning]], the fish will lay their eggs on gravel bottoms of freshwater tributaries. The female digs out a hole called a redd. The preferred depth for steelhead spawning is {{convert|6|to|14|in}}.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.calfish.org/FisheriesManagement/SpeciesPages/SteelheadTrout.aspx|title=Steelhead|website=www.calfish.org|access-date=2019-11-17}}</ref> She then lays the eggs, and a male fertilizes them. The females will then cover the eggs with the gravel. Depending on the size of the female she may lay up to 9,000 eggs. The female then buries the eggs in a foot of gravel. The eggs remain in the gravel until they hatch. Unlike salmon (which can spawn only once) steelhead may return to the ocean, and come back upstream several times for spawning season.