A Steelhead's Memory is 29 Minutes

[tmike]

After unsuccessfully trying to find someone to float one of my favorite peninsula rivers, I decided to go solo and bank it. It's been a tough year to get out so when I hooked my first fish it took me a little by surprise. 5 seconds of head shakes and it came unbuttoned. The next hole down I was ready on the next take and landed a nice hen about 10 lbs. After working the entire run I could see my truck about 1/2 mile away and knew there were cold ones in the cooler. Just then i remembered to debate, myth, idea that a steelheads memory was only 29 minutes long so decided to test the theory.I returned to the hole I lost the first one and nailed a chrome buck around 8 pounds. Same fish? Maybe. This morning I had a few hours so I returned to the well and first pass through hooked another nice buck. Same fish? I don't think so, a mid to high teener buck. I have to say it's important to have everything ready if you are going to photo and release in a timely manner. I've released a lot of fish and the most important thing is to use heavy enough gear to get them in and back ASAP. I had the camera in one shirt pocket, pliers in the other, snapped a couple quick photos of 2 of the fish and sent them on their way. Sunshine and Steely chrome is always good therapy for a long winter.

Here's the hen. After I unpinned her she decided enough was enough and scooted right back into the hole. I never touched her. 


The first buck I just cut the leader, because I wasn't sure where the hook was.  Here's today's buck. I hope you enjoy the photos.



Head shot

[boneaddict]

Thats JUST FRICKIN gorgeous Tmike.   I was thinking to myself today how fun it would be to catch some steel, but how fun it would be to pick up some bone.  So many choices, so little time.   Good pics and way to keep her in the water.

[Red Dawg]

They do have a very short memory. I have caught the same fish a couple different times. One of them really pissed me off when it broke off my favorite fly. I fished for about another 20 minutes or so and went back and hooked that fish again and got my fly back. One year i caught the same fish about ten times in the same hole and at the same place in the hole. I of course counted him as 10 separate fish.  I have the same problem bone. to many hobbies and not near enough time time to do them all.

[Red Dawg]

oh ya nice fish. well done. always a great way to spend an afternoon catching winter steelhead.

[Houndhunter]

that hen most of put up a hell of a fight, you reel looks like its smoking

[Ironhead]

That bucks a brute. He has some serious shoulders.

[Coasthunterjay]

I hate you mike! lol....... its not my fault my arm is bumm and i couldnt come...nice fish tom. Really nice...wish i could have come!

[MuleySniper]

Nice fish! What river?? Im still trying to make time to get in the new Willy and head up north.
MS

[klickriverchromer]

dang, with fish like that i'll be your friend and go fishing since your socalled buddies would pass those chromers up.  theres nuts!  litttlllee side-driftin action, wormin or pluggin.  what'r your fav's over there.

[wackmaster]

CHJ YOU HATE EVERYONE lol

[ICEMAN]

Good grief, you really know how to make someone jealous! Beautiful fish, nice picture, thanks for posting.

[M_ray]

Good Job Buddie! I wish I could have been there work sucks sometimes!  You got me thinking though I may be coming down with something ...Cough, Cough ... think Cliff might have something for my Cough? Great job on those pic's BTW that's awesome!

[Bookworm]

Awesome pics, I'm a member of the too many hobbies myself. I've been wanting to hit the rivers, just can't seem to find enough time.

[tmike]

That reel does look like it's smokin. For perspective, from the cork to the fishes nose on the buck was 26 inches, so that  should put him at 36 + or -. Trust me if I could hook fish like that every time I'd be a guide. For that matter I'd probably have more friends. Well I'm not a guide I just luck into 1 or 2 sometimes. I'm not going to tell you what I used except it had pink yarn and sandshrimp involved.  I'm also not going to give up my spot except to say it is a Chehalis Trib. that closes at the end of this month. Quite a bit of hiking involved and no other anglers spotted, low conditions. I like to drift fish, but will run a bobber if conditions dictate. I missed one that I sat on and threw worms, spoons, jigs, and the kitchen sink at but it must have had a longer than 29 minute memory! M_ray you better hurry because Cliff went through a lot of cough medicine, oh the oysters, razor clams, and elk steaks weren't bad either.

[bucklucky]

Dandy fish T. Is it lunch time yet? I still got 12 hours to go till lunch