First Steelhead, keeper anyways

[lokidog]

Caught this 30 1/4", 10 pound fish this morning after only about a half hour of fishing. He took a jig below a crappie bobber.

I lost one my last time out a couple weeks ago when it straightened my hook. Even with the drag a lot lighter, this one still jumped almost five feet out of the water several times and bent the hook a tiny bit.

So, I did catch one plunking for pinks down in Snohomish back in about 1991 but had to release it, it was quite small as well. I've only returned to trying for Steel this last winter since the fishing is so close to our new place, 12 or so minute drive....

[WapitiTalk1]

Beauty!  Congrats.  Have you tried the cedar plank method on the grill with your steelhead/salmon before?  Very good. 

[quadrafire]

Nice
You move off the island?

[762Armo]

Nice job!
I was there on Sunday, but I wasn't so lucky!

[gaddy]

Nice looking fish and fillet job. Is that a belly strip I see ?

[lokidog]

Nice
You move off the island?

sort of,

I am bilocational now.   My wife and son are in Sultan for her work and school, but I am still mostly on the island. It is nice having a base on the mainland.

[bobcat]

Very nice looking fish. Congrats! 

[lokidog]

Upon closer inspection, it could be a female with absolutely no sign of eggs.  What I thought was milt is strings of fat.

[2MANY]

It's a hen summer run.
Eggs are very under developed in summer fish.

[Boss .300 winmag]

Yum yum. 

[WSU]

It's a girl for sure.  Nice and fresh with little egg development.  Summers are tasty fish!

[LongBomb]

Well done!

[lokidog]

It's a girl for sure.  Nice and fresh with little egg development.  Summers are tasty fish!

How long do these fish stay in the "coastal" rivers for their egg development?  It's got to be a crazy long time.

[WSU]

It's a girl for sure.  Nice and fresh with little egg development.  Summers are tasty fish!

How long do these fish stay in the "coastal" rivers for their egg development?  It's got to be a crazy long time.

Many months.  She'll spawn this (or would have) this winter or early spring.  That's why they are so fat and tasty.

[boneaddict]

Used to always hear the old timers say you had to fish for a 100 hours to catch your first.   Did you make the time?

Nice Hen!