Identification of King Females

[Brent]

Group,

What are the visual cues that enable the identification of a female king on a redd?

Brent

[ChromeKid]

Sometimes you'll see her flip on her side, and fan the gravel. If you have a good pair of polarides, you should be able to see it happen. Also she's usually above all the males behind her. You'll see the males fighting for a place on the redd too. If it's later in the season and she has been spawning for awhile, her tail is usually white from fanning gravel so much.

[Steeldrifter]

Everything Chromekid said is correct...plus the female will have a smaller more rounded head.

try not to take the female ..not for ethical reasons, but if you take her the makes will usally leave!

[Herb@BBT]

A lot of times the fish you see on the redd are just the males. Often times the female is ahead of what you see. Some visual clues are the ones already posted but some others are, she will usually be lighter in color. Also, there is usually a dark stripe down her side, or at least what looks like a stripe.

One of the keys to not hooking her is to cast to her, not above her. By the time your flies get down they will be past her. Just don't cast in front of her.....