30 + lb steelhead

[lazydrifter]

I had a guy in my drift boat back in 1993 and he hooked a steelhead in the rock garden @ Nolan Creek on the lower Hoh. He hadn't fished in a few years and had recently spooled up his rod with 10lb line. I was running 20/20. This fish tore us a new one. I personally had never fought a fish longer than about 5 minutes.  This was one of those 1 in 10 lifetime fish.  We saw it probably 3 or 4 times and I would have said easy over 30. We tried to stay with this fish but he ran at will.  We lost him at almost the 1 hour mark.  He was in a deep slow slot. We had the boat over him, coming to the net.  He saw the boat and made 1 last attempt at freedom only to run about 50 ft down below the boat thru a downed tree.  We cried for days.  I would imagine that half of this battle probably wasn't fish tearing things up type but probably just laying out in the current and he was unable to do anything with it.  And probably scared to put to much pressure on him knowing what he had on and not wanting to lose it.

[TeacherMan]

So since every steelhead guy in this site is looking at this thread what do you guys think of 12 pound fluorocarbon for them on the rivers on the Peninsula?

[lazydrifter]

any more I use at least 12lb maxima UG for leader.  Use to go 20/20 now I just usually go 15/12 maxima.  I've never used flourocarbon.  When I'm pulling plugs I use 30 lb power pro and then adjust my leader lb for where ever I'm fishing.  If you come out this way teacherman get ahold of me before hand and I will get you into my DB  on either the Hoh or Sol Duc for Steelhead or some early springers. 

[cascademountainhunter]

NICE ONE!

[TeacherMan]

Sounds great

[boneaddict]

I suppose flourocarbon is improving but I had trouble with my knots holding with as much tension as a zinging stealhead has.   

[Hohriverrunner]

My buddy and I were on the upper and lower Hoh that same week this hog was caught...we caught  7 fish, with 5 being natives and released them all. One was a 20 plus fish on the upper. All taken on jigs, which I like because they mostly all get hooked in the snout..easy release. I did have second thoughts of releasing a nice native on the lower river just below the Hoh store...We had just floated by a couple of tribal fisherman checking and re-tossing out their nets in a very narrow part of the river..If you've floated there during the low water you know the spot..the net covered over half way accross....Well, just below the net we landed a chromer and could see another net just 100yds below as well. My good friend from California and I didn't like the idea of them nets, but in all his trips to the Hoh has caught many nice steelhead and has never kept one. As always we stuck to our convictions and release it.....I wanted to save that fish from death by net. It even crossed my mind to transport it above the last net...Just crossed my fingers, watched him swim away and left his fate to the river gods....

[tmike]

Could you imagine getting a ticket for taking a Nate out of the water to transport it above a gillnet. That would suck!

[fisheral87]

Those genes are gone for good.

[boneaddict]

Its easier and more practical to just remove the gill net.

[tlbradford]

I always hate it when my straw bale anchor gets loose and floats into the nets.   

[boneaddict]

sharp knives work pretty well.  My favorite is when mother nature does it.  THere was a boat and nets on the skok.  The river came up like its famous for and no boat, no net.

[huntnphool]

I always hate it when my straw bale anchor gets loose and floats into the nets.

Dont get caught

[tmike]

My favorite is when mother nature does it.  THere was a boat and nets on the skok.  The river came up like its famous for and no boat, no net.

The problem with that is that net is somewhere in the Canal now catching everything.

[tlbradford]

I am to chicken to do it, but I plead the 5th when it comes to some friends.