Monster Steely, no pics, just rumor, pic added

[bwhntr350]

 My Dad, who once guided for Steelhead for years, still lives in Forks and he just called me to tell me about a 38 pound Steely that the Quinault's got in a net. I have always thought that the Quinault is the states best river for big fish and it seems that every two or three or four years they yank a 35 pound plus out of there. Wish I could find a picture, if true

 I seen a pic of a 35 pounder a few years back Makes me drool.

[bwhntr350]

http://www.piscatorialpursuits.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/738176/Big_Quinault_Steelhead.html

[bwhntr350]

[Skyvalhunter]

Sounds fishy to me

[Sporting_Man]

This is not a 38 pounder... Maybe 25 lbs the most. Shame it was gill netted and killed, but what can we do?

[PlateauNDN]

mid to upper 20's tops.  Still a nice fish though.

[Huntbear]

So much for saving the wild steelhead...   

[sirmissalot]

Looks bigger than mid 20's to me. He's not long arming it, the girth on the tail looks twice as big as this 30ish pound king and that steelhead beats it in length as well. Still a shame either way, it was a beautiful fish.

[wsucowboy]

mid to upper 20's tops.  Still a nice fish though.

[PNWsportsman]

The real story is the fact that a gillnetter is wearing a gamakatsu hat!

[Wanttohuntmore]

The real story is the fact that a gillnetter is wearing a gamakatsu hat!

Looks like a g.loomis hat to me.

[TheHunt]

Or Mathews bow hat

[pianoman9701]

The Quinault steelhead run is one of the success stories of NW steelies. Even the Monterey Bay Seafood Watch program has given it a rating of good choice for it's healthy runs producing great fish. The Quinault Nation has done a spectacular job maintaining this fishery.

In case you don't know, Seafood Watch is a sustainability program through the Monterey Bay Aquarium which alerts consumers to unhealthy and over-fished species, specific to given areas. For example, king salmon are considered a healthy population above Falcon Point in OR, but below are listed as Bad Choice.

If you purchase seafood and are concerned about what you're buying, you should go to their site and search for their recommendation.

[pianoman9701]

I just talked to the guy who netted this fish. He got it three years ago and has it on his wall. It is 38 lbs.

[jeepguy]

the steelhead fisherey has really gone downhill for the sportsman hard to beleive in the early 70's there was no netting of steelhead like we see today and there was an abdunce of fish for everyone mis managed  so sad    this would be one of my favorite times to fish after duck season

[Sitka_Blacktail]

This is not a 38 pounder... Maybe 25 lbs the most. Shame it was gill netted and killed, but what can we do?

You must not know much about the Quinault. It's on the Quinault Res and has always been an Indian fishery. It's managed by the Quinaults and they've done a pretty good job of it. They also have a pretty good sport fishery with Indian guides. It's imperative to them to have good management as they make their livings on that river.  Just the upper river above the lake is a "common" fishery.

[Sitka_Blacktail]

the steelhead fisherey has really gone downhill for the sportsman hard to beleive in the early 70's there was no netting of steelhead like we see today and there was an abdunce of fish for everyone mis managed  so sad    this would be one of my favorite times to fish after duck season

It was that kind of thinking that resulted in the Boldt decision. And it was guys like you who pushed to outlaw it. The result did not go the way the anti native's wanted it to go. Kinda blew up in their faces and brought us to where we are today with the indians fishing and hunting off reservation.

And the indians were gillnetting steelhead in the 70s.

[jeepguy]

the quinalt system is a success story and the work of the tribes has worked out well  i personally  had enflunce on the boldt decision i was 13 at the time its alittle late now. what ever fish are left should be protected until numbers rise to a satisfactory number  oh well