20+ pound steelhead club. Post 'em

[Dmanmastertracker]

THANKS for releasing her.  AWESOME fish.

 Yes, truly. I've only kept two in my life and that was one of them. I applaud anyone who does on a regular basis, especially a trophy like that.

[ribka]

Any native is released. Don't care how big. I keep the hatchery fish

[Button Nubbs]

[SkookumHntr]

-Ive caught a 20 pound Nate on the River behind my house. Caught a 18pound Buck on the Cowlitz on 6lb test with my 1141 in the boat, Awesome fight, I'll try to scan pics of Both those fish.

[JimmyHoffa]

Any native is released. Don't care how big. I keep the hatchery fish

That's kind of how I roll now too.  And after the hatchery run is pretty much done I won't fish for steel anymore.  They get a break from me until the springers show up.  I've read too much about how the stress of catching them causes them to not spawn, so I figured I'd leave them alone.  But I'll bonk those hatchery things all day long.

[Rainstorm Hunter]

I lost one about 5 years ago that was just monsterous I would have to guess 25+ at least. And about 4 years ago I caught one that was about 23-25 pounds but I wanted to get him back in the river quick so I did not take pics.

[Dmanmastertracker]

Any native is released. Don't care how big. I keep the hatchery fish

That's kind of how I roll now too.  And after the hatchery run is pretty much done I won't fish for steel anymore.  They get a break from me until the springers show up.  I've read too much about how the stress of catching them causes them to not spawn, so I figured I'd leave them alone.  But I'll bonk those hatchery things all day long.

 At least the State clips now, so you can tell the difference, that's a big help. BC still doesn't clip.

[ribka]

Any native is released. Don't care how big. I keep the hatchery fish

That's kind of how I roll now too.  And after the hatchery run is pretty much done I won't fish for steel anymore.  They get a break from me until the springers show up.  I've read too much about how the stress of catching them causes them to not spawn, so I figured I'd leave them alone.  But I'll bonk those hatchery things all day long.

 At least the State clips now, so you can tell the difference, that's a big help. BC still doesn't clip.

that's true.

A BC steelhead trip is a dream of mine.

Those hatcheries do smoke up nice

[Dmanmastertracker]

 I found this old clipping from 1984, they used to measure the dorsal fin for wild/ vs. hatchery then on many Wa. river's.
 http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=W4RfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3jAMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2330,2028141&dq=history+of+hatchery+steelhead+in+washington&hl=en

[hogsniper]

Heres mine...22lbs by the measurements.....Its actually mounted on the wall thanks to bucklucky!

[Goldeneye]

That's a beauty there hogsniper!

[steeleywhopper]

Nice one! that is about as bright as they come.

[ridgefire]

my biggest is a buck that was 41 inches long with a 22 inch girth. caught it in the pilchuck river a few years ago not sure how to post a pic but it was a beauty. figured it would be somewhere around 23 lbs or so but couldnt weigh it because it was only out of the water for a couple pics. one of these years im going to head up to the kispioux

[ridgefire]

somehow i posted before i was done typing but was saying i am hopefully going to be heading up to the kispioux (sp) and get a crack at some of the big ones up there.

[dscubame]