Whats your biggest Metalhead

[BrownGoinDown]

NICE FISH. ABMGENERAL, that is just an absolute bruiser. What I'd do to catch one like that. That's a once in a lifetimer there for sure. JBar, gorgeous fish. that first hatchery fish is a toad. The native is too. Keep posting the pics! Love the metalhead. Wish I had something to show you. I've caught one fish that I thought would warrant close to the 20# mark, only taped the length, but it was a fatty hen that was 39.5 inches long. I got a picture of it laying on the edge of the river because i was by myself and it looks about 10 lbs, just SUCKS. Had two "Big ones that got away" that I thought could have been close as well, but you know how it goes, when you don't bring em in, they always seem to grow!

[MuleySniper]

Yeah, that Sky fish is a real oinker!! Nice..
MS

[Intruder]

One thing I was going to add to my earlier post about 20# fish but couldn't find the info at the time has to do with weight estimation.  I still can't find the data but I can relay the general ideas.  This is by no means a scientific study so take it for what it is worth.

Some buddies got some data on several rivers over a couple years concerning weight estimations based on the length/girth formula.  Based on the info collected the formula errors on the high side between like 10-15% for steelhead.  I wanted to list some of the numbers but just can't find em or don't have em anymore.  The only conclusion that we could come up with was due to the shape of the fish.  I believe the origins of the formula gear it more to salmon (kings I think).  As such the girth measurements tend to really count a lot in the formula.  Steelhead, even girthy ones, in general tend to be more streamlined and not really carry the weight that the salmon do.  There were several fish weighed that were 20+ on the formula only to find out they didn't make the 20 mark.  The Dean River fish and the Kispiox fish that were checked were the closest to the formula.  I do remember 1 Kispiox fish though that was like 42x22 that came up almost 4lbs under the formula.... 22 vs. 26 or sumthin like that.  The only exception were the steelhead caught on the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia.  The scientists studying them over there actually devised a formula specially for those fish because of their extreme girth to length ratio.  Many of the 36 inchers exceed 20#. 

Worthless but somewhat interesting info........ 

[coastalghost]

This is a pic of my buddy Danny's Big Skykomish Nate from a few years back measured to 30.5ish pounds! The biggest Sky Nate even my unc has ever seen.

Seen a pic of that somewhere else...truly an awesome fish. Congrats to your bud.

[M_ray]

Worthless but somewhat interesting info........ 

Not worthless if you ask me I tend to agree with you and tmike .... there are allot of people that call 16 -18 pounders 20! I have been fishing these Steelies since I was 11 and I would say that formula can be right but is most of the time a half pound to a pound on the high side. My Largest weighed fish was a hen that went 19.6 and this was in the days before we started measuring so not sure of the length & girth  still pissed I didn't mount that one!!! I have caught 3 fish that taped 38x20.5 which the formula puts right at 20 but I'm not sure they would make it, they were Alaska fish but I dunno  ... I don't even want to talk about a few that have schooled me that were mid 20's or above fish  different class of fish!!!

Here is a pic of one ... not the purdiest fish or pic (I was alone) but 38x20.5 none the less ... does it make 20?

[OneHorn]

This is a pic of my buddy Danny's Big Skykomish Nate from a few years back measured to 30.5ish pounds! The biggest Sky Nate even my unc has ever seen.

That is a floppin toad!!!!

[bankwalker]

ive caught alot of kings over 40lbs that i thought by lookin at them would go 30-35lbs and unless i was the weigh them i wouldnt have known they were over 40lbs. so i always think im not giving my steelhead enough credit when i catch them.

i caught one winter run hen this season that looked to be 12-14lbs, but after getting her home and putting her on the scale she rounded off at 16lbs. multiple 12lb fish that were very long slender fish.

the hardest is to judge fish when they are in the water.

this january on the sol duc i hooked 1 for 8 on a day trip. the one fish i landed was about 8lbs. i hooked 3 fish that i would say were in the very high teens, or right around 20lbs. BUT when hooking fish in deep current it makes it really hard to tell.

the only thing i have to go on is the fish i have caught. and the 20lb fish i have seen.

[rasbo]

This is a pic of my buddy Danny's Big Skykomish Nate from a few years back measured to 30.5ish pounds! The biggest Sky Nate even my unc has ever seen.

thats a good looking fish

[Gobble]

Mine biggest was 12lb. Funny thing is I have caught a punch card or 2 a year (most every year) full of salmon but have only targeted Steelies a few times. I only fish from the bank as well I've caught a few but have lost a few Whoppers. I lost one on the hump one year that nealy spooled me. I had 12lb Ande line and he broke me off after a 10 min fight once he hugged the far bank and hit the rapids, I had him in front of me on the bank and was getting ready to pull him out when he made a run for the far side. He was fair hooked and probably went 25 lbs

[JBar]

Sorry first pic of the 25#er was a different fish went about 22 guessing we didnt weigh that one. Here's the pic of the 25# Native both came from the same hole on the same day, 2 bucks over 20# in two drifts through the same hole. The guys I was with were pissed, they spent over an hour watching me fight these two fish.

[MichaelJ]

I want to go fishin now!!! lol

Michael

[tmike]

I caught this one Sat. I swear it was #25 plus, no really at least that. First cast of my 09 winter season. How lame is that?


This is what I used. I blurred it to not give away my secret. 

[Firstlight]

All right Im gonna have to scan some of my older pics. As for the fish on the Sky thats a toad. Ive seen that pic in STS ( Salmon Trout Steelhead ) a couple of years ago.  I love all the pics keep it up fellas.


For the Length and Girth calcs I have used Piscatorial Pursuits website for years. Not sure how accurate there calculation is but it should be close. I always carry my plastic tape with me on the riv for measurments. You never know when the next pig is comming.

[M_ray]

Hey timike I know that hole!    Nice!!!

[Turkeyman]

Great metal head JBar cool pics.