Post by: lazydrifter on February 27, 2009, 08:32:51 AM
Post by: Bearhunter on February 27, 2009, 08:35:21 AM
Post by: boneaddict on February 27, 2009, 08:36:17 AM
Post by: lazydrifter on February 27, 2009, 08:37:51 AM
Post by: tlbradford on February 27, 2009, 08:38:33 AM
Post by: NW-Eric on February 27, 2009, 08:40:46 AM
Post by: Bearhunter on February 27, 2009, 08:44:09 AM
Post by: jackelope on February 27, 2009, 08:45:46 AM
Post by: boneaddict on February 27, 2009, 08:51:56 AM
Post by: jackelope on February 27, 2009, 08:56:33 AM
I hope he kept him because he certainly killed him.
:yeah:
Post by: groundhog on February 27, 2009, 08:59:36 AM
Post by: jackelope on February 27, 2009, 09:03:42 AM
Post by: TeacherMan on February 27, 2009, 09:05:11 AM
Post by: lazydrifter on February 27, 2009, 09:07:50 AM
Post by: washingtonmuley on February 27, 2009, 09:09:35 AM
Post by: O_mykiss on February 27, 2009, 09:17:34 AM
You are allowed to kill one wild fish a year on select OP rivers. He was legally allowed to kill it, but I won't start a rant on whether or not he made a good choice for the sake of the species or the ethics of anglers. Fishing is a blood sport, but its too bad it had be that way with a fine specimen such as that. A fish that size has always been a rarity, with the state of todays fisheries, the odds of producing a fish like that are beyond astronomical.
Post by: groundhog on February 27, 2009, 09:24:10 AM
Post by: boneaddict on February 27, 2009, 09:27:39 AM
Post by: rasbo on February 27, 2009, 09:31:53 AM
Will the Hoe be any good the first week of April?Ive got good fish then,
Post by: boneaddict on February 27, 2009, 09:36:09 AM
Post by: SpokaneSlayer on February 27, 2009, 09:37:18 AM
I'm going to call my wife right now and tell her I am going to go visit the Hoh in April and see what she says.
:chuckle: That should go off like a fart in space suit.
Post by: rasbo on February 27, 2009, 09:37:43 AM
I'm going to call my wife right now and tell her I am going to go visit the Hoh in April and see what she says.the hoh or a hoh big differance in the lumps on your head :chuckle:
Post by: Dipsnort on February 27, 2009, 09:40:46 AM
Im sure its a Nat but its hard to tell in that pic?Yes. Check out the unedited pic.
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fgallery.flybc.ca%2Falbums%2Falbum47%2F01_G.jpg&hash=cc18ad79a3e955480bb6abd0b6ad404e8e1ffe56)
Along with the story I saw posted elsewhere...
Dear Friends and Fellow Fishermen,
As some of you may already have heard, last week, on Friday, 20 February I
was out fishing on the Hoh River with Shirley. It was a wonderfully clear
day, the temperature a little below freezing and a herd of elk were grazing
in a Riverside pasture. The river was running exceptionally low and clear
and we were swinging flies through some attractive water. I was using my
15-foot Spey rod, Shirley was using her eight-weight, single-handed rod.
There had been little action but I had seen one good-sized fish roll a
little ahead of me and, for a brief few seconds, I had hooked into what
appeared to be a 12-pound or 15-pound fish. At around 2 PM I was swinging my
fly through some good-looking water and something that I can only describe
as a lightning bolt hit my whole body. Suddenly my Ross reel was screaming
at a decibel level usually reserved for Rolling Stone concerts. In a couple
of heartbeats 200 yards of line had disappeared from my reel as the fish
headed for Alaska. I told myself not to panic, but my whole body was
shaking; I knew that if I could survive the first round I would at least
have some chance of getting the fish to the bank. For the next 30 minutes I
battled the fish, standing at times chest deep in the middle of the river on
a submerged bar.
At this point I had not seen the fish, but eventually I managed to make it
back to the river bank and was able to stand on dry ground. At that time the
fish exploded into the air, executing three cartwheels. I couldn't believe
my eyes, the fish was almost 4 feet in length. I had never seen a steelhead
like it. After 45 minutes of battling the fish I managed to beach it gently.
My intention was to let it go, having first measured the fish, but it was
bleeding quite heavily from the gills. As it seemed likely not survive the
ordeal, and because it was the fish of a lifetime, I decided to take the
fish. In 10 years of fishing Washington state rivers this is the first fish
I have ever taken, of any kind, from a river.
At this point, several boats appeared, heading down river. In one of the
boats was my good friend and mentor, Jim Kerr; with him in his boat was a
state biologist, who measured the fish and took some fish scales. A couple
of other boats arrived and had spring scales with them, and we weighed the
fish. One set of scales said 31 pounds and the other said 32 pounds. The
fish was dragged for about a mile through the forest to our parked car and
then taken to Olympic Sporting Goods in Forks. We weighed the fish on their
scales and it registered 31-1/2 pounds.
As many of you already know, there is a formula for estimating the weight of
a fish. In essence you square the girth of the fish and then multiply that
by its length and divide by 800.. My fish was 44 inches in length with a
girth of 23-1/2 inches. That would result in a fish weighing 30.38 pounds.
It was not until the following day, 23 hours after the fish had been caught,
that I managed to get the fish to a State-accredited set of scales, at Key
City Fish Company in Port Townsend. The fish had obviously lost a little
weight due to loss of fluids and bleeding, but it still weighed 29.5 pounds
at that point.
I have subsequently contacted the International Game Fish Association to
check on records for fly-caught steelhead. It turns out that the existing
world record for 8 kg tippet is a 28-pound fish caught by Chuck Stephens on
the Skeena River on 20 October 1985, 24 years ago. I am now in the process
of submitting my fish of last week as the new world record. On further
research it also appears that this would also be the largest steelhead ever
caught on a fly rod for all tippet classes.
Hopefully you all enjoyed the story and the pictures. Many people got to see
the fish before I dropped it off at a local taxidermist. One state biologist
confided in me that he was 62 years old and had personally caught over 5000
steelhead and that this was the biggest steelhead he had ever seen in his
life. Another chap simply shook me by the hand, looked me in the eye and
said, "This isn't the fish of a lifetime, it's the fish of a thousand
lifetimes."
I guess English Pete got lucky.
Best regards
Peter
The conjecture is that while it is not a world record on a fly rod, it may be a line class record. Since it was apparently a legal fish to keep, I'm also not going to pass judgement. Personally, I would rather see people moving to change the law than bash someone for following the law but violating their own set of ethics. Heck of a fish for sure.
Post by: huntnphool on February 27, 2009, 09:52:17 AM
Post by: Dipsnort on February 27, 2009, 10:05:46 AM
I do, however, find it a bit curious as to why in the first pic the adipose fin was removed if it was indeed a legal fish. I can sympathise with a guy that just doesn't want to have to defend and explain that it was legal to keep a nate but dont make it look like you are trying to hide something, it looks even worse. :twocents:I'm not convinced that the fisherman is the one who edited the first photo we saw in this topic. And clearly he failed to foresee the uproar that this dead wild steelhead would cause, regardless of the circumstances. No doubt he is very unpopular with a lot of fisher folks at this point.
Post by: robodad on February 27, 2009, 10:10:48 AM
(https://hunting-washington.com/cpg/albums/userpics/10689/IMGP0080_THE_FISH_OF_A_THOUSAND_LIFETIMES.jpg)
(https://hunting-washington.com/cpg/albums/userpics/10689/IMGP0087_WHAT_A_FISH.jpg)
(https://hunting-washington.com/cpg/albums/userpics/10689/IMGP0093_ALAS_BLEEDING2.jpg)
(https://hunting-washington.com/cpg/albums/userpics/10689/IMGP0067FISH_ON.jpg)
Post by: jackelope on February 27, 2009, 10:13:01 AM
the forum is done while they transfer servers.
when it comes back...buckle up.
i think it's the fish of a lifetime, many lifetimes.
personally i would have much fonder memories of it if i knew that the fish was still swimming and spreading his genetics given the current state of our wild fish stocks... repro fish mounts are pretty popular these days.
Quote
Personally, I would rather see people moving to change the law than bash someone for following the law but violating their own set of ethics
there's a lot of people working real hard to accomplish these goals right now...
Post by: huntnphool on February 27, 2009, 10:21:04 AM
Quote
personally i would have much fonder memories of it if i knew that the fish was still swimming and spreading his genetics
:yeah: You got that right Josh.
Don't get me wrong guys, I congratulate the guy on a fish he will never better, a true trophy of a lifetime.
Post by: Dipsnort on February 27, 2009, 10:25:12 AM
i would love to see the banter on this fish on washingtonflyfishing.com if you think it's bad here...Are you kidding me, I'll bet the banter about this fish on that site caused it to crash. I used to spend time there and I can only imagine! :chuckle:
the forum is done while they transfer servers.
when it comes back...buckle up.
Post by: washingtonmuley on February 27, 2009, 10:51:27 AM
Post by: tlbradford on February 27, 2009, 11:05:24 AM
Post by: lazydrifter on February 27, 2009, 11:32:13 AM
Post by: Intruder on February 27, 2009, 12:10:46 PM
Awesome fish regardless!
Post by: WDFW-SUX on February 27, 2009, 12:12:35 PM
Post by: jackelope on February 27, 2009, 12:25:41 PM
I dont think I'd want to eat that fish :twocents:
that fish won't get eaten... :twocents:
Post by: SeaRun1 on February 27, 2009, 12:58:38 PM
If you guys read his post where he said it was hooked deep and bleeding pretty good. I have a buddy that talked with the fish checker and he said the fish would have died.Please don't pass judgement on hear say.I find it hard to believe that all you guys would have released a world record fish.
That is if you choose to believe what he said right? I have been told that the fly was not taken deeply and it was in the snout. I wasn't there so really can't say with 100% certainty.
But... When was the last time you hooked a fish on a fly and it was taken deeply enough to catch in the rakers or gullet? I guided in AK and we fished beads everyday for crying out loud and I rarely saw that. This guy was swinging a fly and it took too deeply to release? Please...
Look the fish is dead and I'm not spending time worrying about what was done. It's dead and dead is final. The guy didn't break any laws and won't be in trouble for what he did. End of story.
Still doesn't make his decision right and if he truly did bonk the fish and it wasn't bleeding (until he ripped a gill out or ???) or damaged then his conscience will be his to deal with.
And by the way I have held a 30+ pound steelhead and released it (off the back of a seiner...) If I caught one on the Hoh or Bogy would I do the same? Absolutely...
The real culprit is the WDFW IMO.
SeaRun1
Post by: Hohriverrunner on February 27, 2009, 01:02:10 PM
Post by: whacker1 on February 27, 2009, 01:13:20 PM
Post by: TeacherMan on February 27, 2009, 01:26:27 PM
Post by: groundhog on February 27, 2009, 01:53:21 PM
I have hooked Steelhead deep before on flies but usually when free floating (nymphing) egg patterns. Not many get hooked deep when you are swingin. Regardless, it was legal for him to bash its head in.
By the way, not all bleeders die. I have caught fish with a gill raker ripped out and flapin along side the gill plate and I have also caught trout that were bleeding and released them and gone back to check on them and they lived. So even if they are bleeding you should give them a chance. Our native Steelhead need to be protected I can't believe the state still allows natives to be killed. Once they are gone they are gone forever!
Post by: GoldTip on February 27, 2009, 02:20:17 PM
Post by: jackelope on February 27, 2009, 02:30:56 PM
the comparison between them and elk/mule deer is apples and oranges. mule deer and elk are not teetering on the border of extinction.
i would respond exactly the same way if this fish was 8 pounds or 30 pounds. doesn't matter at all...native steelhead should be released by law on all washington rivers...if not all rivers everywhere, period.
i feel the same way about the state record golden trout and westslope cutt's in the other thread.
this is just my opinion, i wish everyone agreed with me, but they don't have to.
Post by: GoldTip on February 27, 2009, 02:41:44 PM
there's a reason it's illegal to even take native steelhead out of the water for a picture in most of the rivers in washington, goldtip.
the comparison between them and elk/mule deer is apples and oranges. mule deer and elk are not teetering on the border of extinction.
i would respond exactly the same way if this fish was 8 pounds or 30 pounds. doesn't matter at all...native steelhead should be released by law on all washington rivers...if not all rivers everywhere, period.
i feel the same way about the state record golden trout and westslope cutt's in the other thread.
this is just my opinion, i wish everyone agreed with me, but they don't have to.
Be upset with the law then, not the fisherman.
Post by: jackelope on February 27, 2009, 02:42:13 PM
Post by: hogsniper on February 27, 2009, 02:51:02 PM
Post by: tlbradford on February 27, 2009, 03:39:20 PM
Post by: nw_bowhunter on February 27, 2009, 04:05:14 PM
Post by: stinger on February 27, 2009, 04:09:53 PM
Post by: Alan K on February 27, 2009, 04:23:26 PM
Mind you I don't fish for steelhead, so I guess I don't have the same mindset as those who do.
If I saw a whopper 180" non-typical blacktail, I wouldn't pass on it just to let it spread it's genes. . . I'd shoot it and have it mounted, just like this guy took it home and is having it mounted.
I know it's not really justified to liken deer to native fish. Native fish are in much more trouble than deer are or probably ever will be, but that's how I percieve trophies like that regardless of the populations' situations.
:dunno:
Post by: boneaddict on February 27, 2009, 04:41:03 PM
Post by: SeaRun1 on February 27, 2009, 04:46:11 PM
I understand your reasoning. I plead ignorance on this because I know alot more about fish then deer. If we put a moratorium on Muley and Elk hunting for a certain time period would they recover? I ask because I don't know.
I do know that our natives are at a critical mass point and if if they continue to be harvested there will not be enough genetic material left to recover. You can't bring a population down to just a few actual members and expect a recovery. Thats how close we are to losing our steelies.
Bottom line is that when they get past that mark there done and then it becomes yet another species in a f'ing long list of creatures we have put out of business when we saw it coming and could have done something about it.
I still think that guy is guilty and his conscience will get him evrytime he looks at that aging skin mount.
The one bright side is that the fly guys can't blame it on the gear fisherman for once!
Life goes on...
SeaRun1
Post by: huntnphool on February 27, 2009, 04:49:35 PM
Quote
am I dumber than a rock or isn't the fly right there in its lip?
I'm glad someone else noticed that, I wasn't going to say anything until then. It looks as though they may have done that for the photo though Bone, its mouth is open as if its been dead for a bit :dunno:
Post by: huntnphool on February 27, 2009, 04:52:58 PM
Quote
I do know that our natives are at a critical mass point and if if they continue to be harvested there will not be enough genetic material left to recover.
Question for you Searun, without stating the obvious wouldn't F&W realize this and close retention of natives if that were true? :dunno:
Post by: clindsayrun on February 27, 2009, 07:27:38 PM
It was the fish of a lifetime...he was allowed to keep one...if native retention were so critical WDFW wouldn't allow any to be taken...had he let it go there's always the chance that it would end up in a tribal net...
...forget taking nature and chance in to account, and the possibility that it wouldn't spawn anyway...
All in all I'm sure over the course of this guys fishing career he's contributed plenty towards ensuring that fish have a future. I know I would have kept it.
Just pat the guy on the back and say congratulations. I'm sure he doesn't care that some other guys would have let it go. Also, don't forget to invite a few of those pretentious, "holier than thou" types to the barbeque.
Post by: jackelope on February 27, 2009, 08:14:12 PM
Quote
Also, don't forget to invite a few of those pretentious, "holier than thou" types to the barbeque.
there won't be a barbecue.
Post by: MuleySniper on February 27, 2009, 08:26:09 PM
MS
Post by: singleshot12 on February 27, 2009, 08:36:44 PM
Post by: SeaRun1 on February 27, 2009, 09:56:08 PM
I just do not think that anyone should retain wild steelhead. It's my opinion and it won't change. I really care about this fishery and it bothers me to see these fish disappear. Every one of them is important. Like I said before the real tragedy is the WDFW allowing wild fish retention. Equally sad is the wanton netting by the tribes.
Huntnphool I am new to hunting for the most part. I am hoping as I gain experience I will see that our game managers are doing a good job to manage the resource for all. On the fishing side I think Washington manages it's fish in the most poorly fashioned way they can. At this stage of the game there should be no Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) on our native steelhead populations.
It's done and I know better then to get involved too deeply in these threads. I'm off to hunt Coyotes and (hopefully) find some sheds. Good luck to all in their weekend pursuits.
SeaRun1
Post by: tlbradford on February 27, 2009, 09:58:56 PM
Post by: Fishpimp on February 28, 2009, 05:56:15 PM
one thing that i was upset about was the 45 minute fight and the bleeding out the gills part. i have never ever heard of someone fishting a fish that size for that long. i have caught a handful of 40"+ steelies and really it might seem like 45 minutes but it was probably more like 8-10 minutes. if you fight a big nate for say 10+ minutes they are wiped out. they will fight till they are almost dead. if that poor fish was on for a true 45 minutes i bet it was dead or really close to death. i don't even see how 45 minutes is possible. that's how long it takes to land 12' sturgeon. the bleeding out the gills part is a little fishy too. wasn't it hooked in the chops? either way he should have just said"damn it was a monster and i kept". not make up stories. either way none of us were there and we will never know.
all we can do is tell him congrats on a true monster steelie and leave it at that
Post by: lazydrifter on February 28, 2009, 06:24:59 PM
Post by: TeacherMan on February 28, 2009, 06:59:34 PM
Post by: lazydrifter on February 28, 2009, 07:08:26 PM
Post by: cascademountainhunter on February 28, 2009, 07:20:05 PM
Post by: TeacherMan on March 01, 2009, 09:06:57 AM
Post by: boneaddict on March 01, 2009, 09:14:38 AM
Post by: Hohriverrunner on March 01, 2009, 02:17:36 PM
Post by: tmike on March 01, 2009, 02:30:27 PM
Post by: fisheral87 on March 03, 2009, 03:17:48 PM
Post by: boneaddict on March 03, 2009, 03:23:44 PM
Post by: tlbradford on March 03, 2009, 08:04:26 PM
Post by: boneaddict on March 03, 2009, 08:06:18 PM
Post by: huntnphool on March 03, 2009, 08:07:27 PM
I always hate it when my straw bale anchor gets loose and floats into the nets.
Dont get caught
Post by: tmike on March 03, 2009, 08:15:51 PM
Quote
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.
Post by: tlbradford on March 03, 2009, 08:21:18 PM
Post by: 7mmfan on March 03, 2009, 08:24:34 PM
Post by: Intruder on March 04, 2009, 08:03:46 AM
I think all natives should be released as well. I do believe that big fish are special and rare and do produce other big fish. This is just a guess by me but that fish probably spent three years at sea because its genetic make-up told it to. Most steelhead spend one or two years at sea. I don't think anyone know the science of why. Who knows it might totally be environmental factors, but why take the chance.
There's a decent amount of evidence supporting your "guesses". If the fish was healthy I wish he would have released it. But, I'm not gonna skewer the guy for doing something within the law. The law shouldn't have given the opportunity. It floors me how whacked out this state is regarding fish/game management. The idea that it is legal to kill a wild steelhead is just astounding to me :bash:
Post by: HawkenBob on March 04, 2009, 08:53:35 AM
Anybody who fishes it religously knows this. Catch and release mort rates are way better than flat out kill fisheries. Do you know on weekends like presidents day there could be 50 plus boats on the Hoh when everything is low. On years were water is low everyone fishes it. Imagine if all the boats kept there one fish per person.
Fish out of water bleed really bad. Like humans, fish blood clots too. But only in there real enviornment. If you dont keep em in water, there absolutely no chance of survival.
Using a bobber and jig, pardon me, an indicator and weighted fly on your fly rod is a great way to catch em too.
When fishing is dead in this state Ill see ya'll at the dragstrip. Just too expensive to do both...
Post by: Screaminreelz on March 11, 2009, 09:03:15 AM
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/2008827081_outn08.html
Post by: finnman on March 13, 2009, 01:45:08 PM
The sea lions and Natives and commercials didn't! :chuckle:
End of story!
Everyone so concerned about this guy keeping that fish had better not be hunters of deer or elk or any other game, if you are, then your a hypocrite! Plain and simple! You cannot go crying about someones decision to legally harvest a fish when you at the same time harvest game.
If you don't hunt then no worry.......
Post by: MuleySniper on March 14, 2009, 08:00:10 AM
MS
Post by: Turkeyman on March 14, 2009, 05:02:12 PM
Post by: fisheral87 on March 14, 2009, 06:01:11 PM
Post by: littlebuf on March 14, 2009, 08:26:49 PM
Post by: fisheral87 on March 14, 2009, 11:22:57 PM
Post by: littlebuf on March 15, 2009, 12:22:22 PM