A couple of years back there was an article in STS that mentioned (no joke) a 50+ pound steelhead caught in commercial nets, up in Alaska. If my memory serves me right, I believe it contained a picture of it. I've got a picture of (36) pounder caught in the Quinault a few years back. Yes! These fish can get huge. How many fish have you lost that you suspected to be a monter? You just never know. That's a big part of the thrill of hooking a steelhead. You just never know how big it might be!%$#!!

exstream is correct.

The fish was caught in a commercial salmon net in the Babine, if I remember correctly. The fish barely fit length-wise in the revival tank so they knew the length of the fish. With the picture they conservatively estimated the girth and came up with something around 50 pounds!

It is, without a doubt, the finest fish I have ever seen. It was an STS article.

TK

Doubt that a 40 lber ends up in the fish market for a buck a lb, more likely in a taxidermist shop for $100 a lb. $1500 dollars for a 28 lber and a $100 a lb for every pound over that. New market out there now for the big ones.

Man, if I ever catch a Steelhead over 30# I'm going to Mount it, and then release it of course!

It'd be sweet to hook a fish that big. But you won't see me paying any Indian guides to do so.

If that fish came out of Quinault,Good for them.
But if that fish came out of the Chehalis of the Hump.. ..so much for keeping that fish in the Gene pool.
Targeting Native Fish in other systems is just plain WRONG!!!!!....Os

the fish came out of the quinault and i was told it was a hatchery fish, they do grow pretty big down here due to the hatchery program that they started down here in the 70's. not all of the fish that are labeled "wild" are wild fish, they do that to let people know they are eating a fish that has ate real food and not something that some person has made. 'pellets'. bob it's just a business just like you do, anyone can fish down here if you want, all you need is a little cash. good luck on your hatchery program up there. i hope it has success just like the one down here. i have one of your friends coming down here monday, he owns the thriftway in forks.

Whats Tandy's number?

Sorry Blueback, it's not quite the same. I live and guide on river S ... anybody can come fish river S. Some people fish it on their own, some don't, they opt to hire a guide. Doesn't matter who you are, you're free to fish it.

Then to the south, there is river Q. River Q can only be fished if you either have people with heritage I or pay lots of money.

Nope, sorry, not the same. Please note, this is not intended to be "racist" ... I just don't agree with any "special" groups having having special rights, period.