# 50 Shades of Chrome : A beginner's guide to Steelhead coloration



## Roger That (Nov 18, 2010)

Hello everyone! First off let me start off by saying there is no bad shade of chrome! All chrome is created equal and should be valued the same across the board! In this post I will showcase a few different shades of chrome and some of the terminology used to describe them! Please feel free to add or critique!!

1) CHROME- Also known as Dime,Bright,Chromer, Etc. Freshest of the fresh, mostly caught in the big lake or off piers and sometimes very low in the river systems. 











2) River Chrome- Also known as fresh, bright, and sometimes chromer or dime. The last two are usually used by guides when they are trying to boost the quality of their clienteles fish; " Really railing the chromers now!! BOOK NOW! DAYS ARE FILLING UP FAST!"



















3) Fresh- There is a fine line between fresh and River Chrome... Some of the same terms apply and every once in awhile you will hear a fresh fish referred to as a Chromer, but don't let that ruin your day, CHROME IS CHROME. " Hooked into a lot of fresh fish at Pine St. They were really railing the stone flies!"











4) Colored up- Also known as Not-So-Fresh, Depending on the degree of coloration also can be referred to as "boot", but that is a whole different category/shade of chrome. " Yah bro, i was floating spawn at 6th st. and caught a real nice colored up hen! She was loaded with eggs bro!"



















5) BOOT- probably the finest line there is and least noticable transition in a steelhead's lifespan. Some fisherman are noted for their ability to tame the highest quality boots around, one of those fisherman in particular is JB Ricks, AKA Boot Conquistador, AKA Boot Queen. " HEY MAN I'M OUT HERE RAILING THESE SKIPS AND TAMING THE BOOTS".


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## Roger That (Nov 18, 2010)

7) LAST LEG- AKA; Tore up from the floor up, turtle food, Ol' Dirty bastard, Zombie Chrome, Gary Busey

"Man i was brookie fishing this trib the other day and a pod of old dirty bastard zombie chromers swam by, Gary Busey's were on their way to becoming turtle food!"




















Other terminology notables include;

Spawned Out: 





















ROPED: AKA GLORY






















That concludes this chapter of 50 Shades Of Chrome.


P.S. Let's try not to take things so serious and realize that heckling a little bit is fun and is in good nature. Lighten up a little bit and NEVER forget this one thing...

Dry Fly fishing is a higher plane of existence.


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## tannhd (Dec 3, 2010)

Bro. None of nose pics are working, bro.


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## Roger That (Nov 18, 2010)

Sorry I fixed them


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## diztortion (Sep 6, 2009)

This thread deserves 5 stars..


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## samsteel (Oct 6, 2008)

Fat Kyle rails.


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## bigfish87 (Mar 24, 2011)

This made my day!


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## Carpmaster (Apr 1, 2004)

Please explain river chrome further.. that topic seems very wide...

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## troutguy26 (Apr 28, 2011)

Who brings 30ft of yellow rope for a stringer?


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## diztortion (Sep 6, 2009)

troutguy26 said:


> Who brings 30ft of yellow rope for a stringer?


Gotta protect the precious cargo.


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## Roger That (Nov 18, 2010)

troutguy26 said:


> who brings 30ft of yellow rope for a stringer?


out my face with that negativity


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## UltimateOutdoorsman (Sep 13, 2001)

Why no pics of the dude from NBC sports network?


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## Steelheadfred (May 4, 2004)

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## Steelheadfred (May 4, 2004)

Rail haters
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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

I would never call a beautiful double-stripe male a "boot." But those almost black spawned out males are boots - eg: black like a boot. AKA, Seagull food. People who eat them AKA Seagulls. :lol:

"I love to see all the Seagulls descend on Tippy dam when the Kings are spawning. They just love those old boots." 

That long rope stringer works great from tall piers, and can also be used on a river. 

Did I miss the "Bluebacks," in your explanation? Chrome, rays in their tails, but often found miles upstream from the lake. Just flat-out hot fresh fish. They are often known for smashing strikes, incredible air, and runs that will snap 10# line, when your drag is set at 4#. Sorry, but I don't take many pictures of fish anymore, so I can't demonstrate.


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## Roger That (Nov 18, 2010)

Fishndude said:


> I would never call a beautiful double-stripe male a "boot." But those almost black spawned out males are boots - eg: black like a boot. AKA, Seagull food. People who eat them AKA Seagulls. :lol:
> 
> "I love to see all the Seagulls descend on Tippy dam when the Kings are spawning. They just love those old boots."
> 
> ...


Calm down! i just covered the basics. lol


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## Trout King (May 1, 2002)

thread of the year! at least best threads,lol
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Roger That (Nov 18, 2010)

OH-YEAH!!! said:


> 1. Thank you for utilizing so much time to provide your explanation. Did it feel good to do so without using the word "douche?"
> 
> 2. Dry fly fishing IS a higher plane of existence. Thank you for acknowledging that important point.
> 
> Well done!


1) K.
2) Arctic Char bro.


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## OH-YEAH!!! (Jun 18, 2009)

Roger That said:


> 1) K.
> 2) Arctic Char bro.


In all seriousness, why did Kyle XXL's very nice steelhead fall into category 2 vs. category #1? It was a very bright fish.


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## Roger That (Nov 18, 2010)

OH-YEAH!!! said:


> In all seriousness, why did Kyle XXL's very nice steelhead fall into category 2 vs. category #1? It was a very bright fish.


All about the hues Mr. Shibley


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## Roger That (Nov 18, 2010)

Only the cream of the crop can be considered TRUE CHROME


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## OH-YEAH!!! (Jun 18, 2009)

Roger That and thank you for this excellent thread.


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## samsteel (Oct 6, 2008)

Buddies for life?


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## Roger That (Nov 18, 2010)

samsteel said:


> Buddies for life?


I love everyone.


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## Steelheadfred (May 4, 2004)

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## Trout King (May 1, 2002)

OH-YEAH!!!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

What about vintage platinum chrome bro? The chromest of chromeness...


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## tannhd (Dec 3, 2010)

hey those pictures are working now


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## Steelheadfred (May 4, 2004)

Roger That said:


> Only the cream of the crop can be considered TRUE CHROME



What's this one considered?










I have a story: This early spring late winter I was fishing with a certain Consummate Sportsman, we were having a decent day on a unmentionable. So good that we just took turns in this one hole. I'd fish five minutes, land some shine, the Consummate sportsman would step in and bust a Boot, my turn, chrome again, his turn, boot again. It was very entertaining.


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## Steelheadfred (May 4, 2004)

Blue Backed Chromer?


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## slowpaya (Oct 23, 2011)

troutguy26 said:


> Who brings 30ft of yellow rope for a stringer?


well i know some women are attracted to ropes,actually fascinated by them in a way...and some men tie thier kids to car bumpers an such, and place thier children in precarious positions and use em to attract these type of women(some men((ahem))refer to these ladies as mermaids or sirens)


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## UltimateOutdoorsman (Sep 13, 2001)

Steelheadfred said:


> I have a story: This early spring late winter I was fishing with a certain Consummate Sportsman, we were having a decent day on a unmentionable. So good that we just took turns in this one hole. I'd fish five minutes, land some shine, the Consummate sportsman would step in and bust a Boot, my turn, chrome again, his turn, boot again. It was very entertaining.


:lol:

They don't call me "boot whisperer" for nothin.


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

Steelheadfred said:


> Blue Backed Chromer?


Yep, thanks for the example. But only 1 ray left in its tail. They lose the rays after a few days in the river. Then they lose the blue in their backs. Nice fish.


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## Roger That (Nov 18, 2010)

Fred that one In the pic is a vanilla chromer. Not a doubt in my mind. 

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## Steelheadfred (May 4, 2004)

This might be the freshest fish I've ever caught in the river, at least in late winter early spring.


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## Multispeciestamer (Jan 27, 2010)

Here is the elusive green/blue back.


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## wartfroggy (Jan 25, 2007)

Multispeciestamer said:


> Here is the elusive green/blue back.
> View attachment 38553


Who said that they were elusive?


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## UltimateOutdoorsman (Sep 13, 2001)

Steelheadfred said:


> This might be the freshest fish I've ever caught in the river, at least in late winter early spring.


Umm, I can see the background.


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## GuppyII (Sep 14, 2008)

Those are blue backs!


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## itchn2fish (Dec 15, 2005)

slowpaya said:


> well i know some women are attracted to ropes,actually fascinated by them in a way...and some men tie thier kids to car bumpers an such, and place thier children in precarious positions and use em to attract these type of women(some men((ahem))refer to these ladies as mermaids or sirens)


Hey...I resemble that remark......:corkysm55


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