Where do you guys think the best river to get slab steelhead that consistently go over 20 lbs?

Is there any rivers where you can kill a monster this size?

Why would you want to KILL a fish like this. ......Go Fish

Seattles Pike place market. null

LOL and crying the same time.

Funny response Drift Boat. Sad, that it's so true.

SHORT_STICK, Do you always $#!+ where you sleep? You got some big balls even asking that question in this forum. Catch a hog, take a picture.(just poking fun at ya!)

I was just asking a simple question. It seems you guys have no problem killing a slab chinook but why are you so touchy about steelhead. If it is legal then what is the issue. They are have similar life histories as chinook or even coho so what is the difference. In many places they are more abundant than these two species as well. I just want to be able to put a few trophies on the wall before I kick the bucket or before everything goes to catch and release. Is there anything wrong with that?

You don't need to Kill a trophy....just to put one on the wall They're called replica mounts. .....welcome to the 21st century

I am with O's on this one, enjoy the fight and get a nice picture of the fish and then have the replica mount made. This isn't like the 70's when we had plenty of these big fish around. We need to take care of these big dudes to have healthy fish for the future.

The day the state starts marking ALL hatchery salmon, not just a few here and there, I will release those bigguns', too. In the meantime, listen to O's, think FIBERGLASS!!

Amen. replicas look nicer and last a lot longer. Gives you something to hand down to your great grandkids.

People with dead fish on their wall suck. That's the majority attitude now; times have changed. People with replica mounts and pictures of great fish on the wall rule. If you want to impress people and make more friends, release your fish and take the latter route.

I would have to say that you guys have issues. The last time I looked it was legal to kill big fish. We do not want to get into a position where the only fish we are able to eat come from fish farms or from a can. I sure hope my grandkids can catch and kill a fish one day. I would think you guys would want the same thing.

Back on topic:

Where do you think the best river for large fish lies?

Short_Stick (wouldn't have anything to do with testicular fortitude would it?), you can't catch and kill a big slab on every river.

Also, you say you hope your grandkids can catch and kill a big slab one day? Well if catch-n-release becomes implemented more and the numbers one day come back (yeah right), then maybe they can.

Ya know, just because it's legal, does that always make it right? Look at prostitution in Nevada.

If you are so hell bent on C&K, then just go buy your fish...or go find a catfish farm. I know they get big slabs on them too and you can fish for them.

Short,

In case you haven't clued in yet.......nobody is going to tell you where to go because THEY DON"T WANT YOU TO KILL WILD STEELHEAD.

Go figure it out yourself if you're so hell-bent to whack a native.

Oh yeah, back to your original topic. I bet the best places for those slabs would lie in the Mississippi River or the Chattahoochee River. I suggest using a spawn sac with a liver inside it. Chicken gizzards work well too.

Knowing where and knowing how are 2 different things......I'll put my money on the fish they're safe with you around.

Why don't you get it Shorty

A trophy hanging on the wall....... you don't have to make a turd
out of it first to enjoy it

Catching and "KILLING" do not have to be the same.....I guess when you're packing a short stick .....you need all the ego boosting you can get .......Os

Okay guys, I think he's got the picture of what many of us think about it - don't need to hammer him too much

My 2 cents worth??

I'll be frank in my thoughts that I WILL not give you suggestions if I know you fully intend on killing a trophy-class steelhead.

Legal? Doesn't make a difference in my mind, I suggest you look through some of the other threads SS to see why we question the legality and morality of the C&K regulations.

Salmon and steelhead do not share the same life histories. There's a quite a difference in fact.

I'm sorry if you're offended by many of the replies you've gotten ... but you'll find that attitudes are changing amongst NW anglers looking to preserve the runs and our fishing opportunities. Perhaps if a decades-long practice hadn't been made out of killing all the big ones, you wouldn't need to ask this type of a question ... let's help preserve what we have have! Please let them go if they're unclipped ... especially those members of the run which are fewer and farther inbetween each season!

Yes, many of us have issues ... most revolve around protecting our resources!

Mr. Stick,
A dead fish will not pass its genes along for your grandchildren's generation to enjoy. It's simple. With folks like you around your grandkids will have to go to B.C. (where they C&R) to catch a biggun.

[ 04-05-2001: Message edited by: stilly bum ]

[ 04-05-2001: Message edited by: stilly bum ]

I think you guys are taking this a little too far. I have been getting some hate mail in my box. I suggest some of you take a step back and re evaluate your position. After all they are only fish.

All I wanted was some information so I could better this fish (see below)

Is that better fellas

[ 04-06-2001: Message edited by: Short_Stick ]

Hey_yall--

Whats wrong with prostitution?

SS, I think you've probably guessed by now that most everyone here rather cut off certain important appendages than club a nate. I would have to say that a photo and a fiberglass mount would definately be a better way to go than a skin mount. As someone else has mentioned, they look better and last longer.

The joy you get when you see that pig swim away and then have the glass mount to look at and know that you helped preserve the run in that river will be much greater then dragging around a stiff, dead fish to show your friends and neighbors. Good luck and I hope you do the right thing.

SB, I have to make an example of your post as something that we don't want on this site anymore! Right after some members chastised SS for his C&K mentality, Bob came in and set the record straight. Did you have to come in after Bob's post and flame with foul name calling?!? No. That only stirs up flaming that snowballs to nowhere. The $ is fine when you want to use that in a more appropriate posting, but let's all cut the name calling flames. Thanks. - RT

Edit: Thanks for editing your post SB. Really appreciated! And I hope Mr. Stick gets the point. But I have my doubts that his mind could be changed for the better; I think perhaps his self esteem needs are stronger than our reasoning?

[ 04-06-2001: Message edited by: RT ]

What a shame!!!! I think this picture needs to be GONE from here!!!

(Before I continue, let me say that I think it is wrong to kill any animal whose species is endangered. I also think that as long as anyone is stringing gill nets across the rivers, all the arguing about C&R vs. C&K is rather moot. From the little I've seen, only about 1 out of 5 people with a rod-n-reel have any clue what they're doing, so they're not much of a hazard to the fish.)

It has always puzzled me why C&R advocates think so highly of themselves WRT preservation of the species. I mean, if you hook a fish that just swam upstream 100 miles, then fight it for 1/2 an hour with a hook stuck in its mouth, do you think it's going to be in any mood to spawn, if it survives at all?

Would you shoot a deer with a bow-n-arrow (carefully, in a non-lethal location), then track it until it is too weak to run, patch up its wound, and send it on its way? Of course not. The deer might not survive. Why do this to fish?

I hear you guys bragging about how you C&R multiple fish per day. Don't you think this induces about the same mortality as the fella that catches one fish, kills it, then goes home?

I know it's a terrific thrill to catch a big fish, but how can you rationalize your treatment of the fish, and then be so inflammatory when someone asks about killing and eating one?

If you really want to protect the species, why not leave them alone?

Thanks, and regards.

Mike
Woodinville

What is wrong with catching fish to eat? When I catch a fish big or small, and it's within the law I eat it, I must say I enjoy fishing but also enjoy eating them. If it's wild or a cliped I still eat them. It is my understanding that not all non clipped fish are wild some of them are hatchery.

I can't remember ever playing a fish for 30 minutes other than oversize sturgeon. If you have that much trouble with salmon or steelhead its time to gear up to something that can land these fish in a reasonable(short) period of time, especially when fishing c & r.

As far as keeping fish to eat, whats wrong with hatchery fish? There are plenty around and thats what they're here for. Down here in Oregon they instituted c & r on unmarked fish several years ago and the returns the past few years have been great. Try it and I think you'll like it.

If you want to bonk a 20lb fish go to the Cowlitz they get a few huge hatchery fish every year. Let the native steelhead spawn man.

By the way, If you catch a great big steelhead and measure it for a reproduction, then you can make it look alot better than it actually was in real life, Foe instance I have caught four fish this year that were over 20 lbs according to the length and girth measurements. The biggest happend to be a colored up buck, but I garauntee you when I get the repro done it won't be that colored, just my 2 cents worth.
Peace Superfly

I agree with Finegrain (Mike). The nates do their best to make it back to the rivers only to have fisherman jerk them off the spawning beds. Do you actually think this does no harm? And folks often go to their 'favorite' spot which is the same location, over and over, catching the same fish multiple times potentially.

If your truely concerned about the health and well being of the nate runs, you will focus your efforts on the hatchery fish and minimize your nate fishing. I'm not saying end it, but in years of recent, there is way more boats on the rivers during the nate run than there is during the hatchery run. The recent closure of all fishing during the nate run didn't bother me at all. I was amazed at the people whining about not being able to fish for them because all they do is C&R. It may be better than C&K, but it still does harm. If the runs ever become viable again, this is a mute point, but for now, it is something to consider.

As for bonking 'a slab', I'd say thats been covered pretty well.

Steve, I'm suprised to hear that there are more boats and pressure on the nate runs up in NW Washington than on the hatchery runs. Enough so that I wonder if you are refering only to this season when the brat runs were missing, and thus cut down the usual pressure on them? In Oregon the pressure drops way off after the brats taper off and the nates are more abundant. Always, including with this poor hatchery run season. Of course that could be because they can't keep nates in Oregon. ... I am also concerned about your claim of fishers "jerking" nates off of their redds; in fact making it sound as if that's what the majority of fishers do. I am suprised to hear that opinion; especially in light of the fact that fish on their redds aren't in prime condition. And I would think that the stronger prevalence of knowledable true sportsmen among the C&R fishers would not be likely to due this. In fact, I bet that most of them fish normal holding water rather than on up the river on shallow redds. What do most of you guys see out there concerning this issue? (Not trashing your rightful opinion Steve - just wanting to know more about what's happening out there. See my thread "THE REAL TRUTH ABOUT C&R SURVIVAL AND PAIN FACTOR?").

RT

First of all the chiefs suck. Second of all you can go to Sportco in Fife and buy one for 500.00 bucks (Welcome to the 21st century replica's). You'd save yourself alot of money. Guide 300.00 bucks. Gas 30.00 bucks. Motel 50.00 bucks. Food 40.00 bucks. One stuffed wild fish 500.00 bucks. Total 920.00 bucks. Sportco fish 500.00 bucks. Wild fish 920.00 bucks. Savings to you 420.00 bucks.

RT, I think two points you touched on are lending to what I am stating. First one, "knowledgeable fisherman". There are plenty that don't fall into this catagory and will fish anywhere on the river, as long as the can hook into a fish. On the Sky, the upper run usually closes March 1st if memory serves me. There are plenty of boats hammering this area right up until the close and this is the beginning of the spawning area. Doesn't seem right.

Second good point is the lame brat run and everyone with SH addicition needing a fix. The nates are that fix. Combine this with the fact that the real hogs comes up during the nate run, and most of us enjoy fishing for the big boys compounds the problem.

It will be interesting to hear some others observations on this.

Hmmmmm...Interesting photo, this "Awesome" fish appears to have net marks present and sitting in large bin of ice. Looks suspicious to me!!!

Time to Dump the pic of the Dead Nate,we've been set-up......keep trolling there Stubby......Os

I see by you're other post you want to catch a world record Salmon and now a 20 lb steelie too.....wow you sound like you want top be....
RT .....Os

[ 04-06-2001: Message edited by: Osprey ]

Dump it fast please.!!!!!!

I already made the comment to get rid of the picture yesterday but it is still here..wat up wit dat!!!!!!

I removed the offending picture. I just can't believe how upset you guys get about wild fish. I didn't even catch that one stateside. I took it on the Kispiox (British Columbia, Canada)in November of last year just before the river froze over. I wasn't really impressed with the river and the drive is horrendous which is why I was asking if there were any rivers closer to home. You guys don't seem to be much help but then again you can't get past the dead nate issue. I do own a camera you know.

Whoever said that the Chiefs suck better be from the Portland area. If not bite your tongue.

SS

I don't give a gosh darn where it was taken!Its wrong!!!!I believe your just here to stir up anger and resentment among us guys.

*Nicely put Kev.

[ 04-06-2001: Message edited by: RT ]

That probably isnt even a steelhead you guys. I wouldnt be suprised if that was one of those "tripliods" from Rufus Woods. lol
Dont pay any attention to these Fish Nazis. Guys like that just want to get a reaction, and we all know were most of us stand.

CNR the nates, or find another hobby

Perhaps you should refrain from posting if you have nothing nice to say. I think I have got the message that killing nates is wrong. I still don't know why but I respect your views.

Is there any rivers with oversized hatchery fish?

SS

Read Fishing and Hunting News. If it's not in F&H News, you don't need to know about it!

Parker

Not sure, but I don't think you can keep nates on the Kispiox either

Dont they use the metric system up in canada?? that would put that poor lifeless creature at about 39 centimeters. last time I checked that was about 14"... Yeah Bank Walker, she's a triploid all right. :p :p

First of all, Finegrain's reply cracks me up becuase it proves no point at all.

ODFW has done studies on C&R fish...tagged...and still went to spawn. I personally have seen fish in the holding pens with broken lures in their mouths, and other body parts....in line to spawn.

Next answer. The deer population is the highest it has ever been in history so the harvesting of a deer totally differs from that of an endangered fish. My late grandfather shot a genetically inferior spike, but his scope was off. He hit the deer in a non-lethal area....front right leg, right above the kneecap. We tracked that deer with dogs all the way to a river, and lost the deer when the deer went into the river. The following deer season, that crippled buck was back out in the field. He was limping, but the sumbeeyotch was still trying to mount does. Of course a precise bullet brought him down, and his inferior genes could not be passed on.

You totally underestimate the survival rate of animals, and also their sex drive. It takes over normal behavior.

I guess you just like to hear yourself speak, but don't come to a battle of wits unarmed.

AND LASTLY, THE CHIEFS SUCK SO MUCH ASS!

The Redneck do have away with words ...don't he

AS for you stubby :p You answered my question if that fish came out of where you said it did....then the rest of you're questions are total freaking BS.....cut us all some slack......See Ya...........Os

A troll is a troll

That sheep is a liar!

Besides Femfisher, I only gather my evidence after watching these so-called "controlled experiments" Osprey performs down on the farm. :p :p :p

Ya, all those wooly girlfriends of 'Yall are ALL liars. Ya, right.

"gosh darn???" RT you know I don't talk like that!!!! IT WAS $H!T...RT

[ 04-07-2001: Message edited by: Timber man ]

I hope and pray that washington can go C/R on wild fish. It is the only way that the fisheries will ever have any chance of being anything close to what they once were. It is one of the best management tools available to us for restoring and maintaining world class fisheries. It has worked repeatedly in numours locations throughout the country.

I am fortunate to have several trophy trout lakes to chose from. The ones with the largest trophies are all restricted rules and harvest. We get to catch those fish over and over and over. 40 and 50 fish days are not uncommon on rainbows averageing 3-5 lb. and some as large as 10. In a float tube on a 6wt rod on dries not much better cept maybe summerrun. Restrictions are 1 fish over 20" barbless artifcial lures. It is a great fishery because it is restricted.

With Stealhead a restriction of C/R is reasonable.

As for the nets, there is nothing to be gained by using that issue as an excuse. It is not going to change or go away in the forseeable future so get over it and move on to something that we can control.

I was really pleased to see RT's post about the mortality study in Or. Solid scientific data that we should all be familiar with so we can defend our pasttime in a rational manner.

Also SS never said anything about killing a nate in his original post. He just wanted to know where he could go for one that he could bonk. The Cowlitz comes to mind to me.

One last thing. I would be willing to wager that Washington has more prostitutes than Nevada legal or not.

Just my 2 cents worth

Desertdog

[ 04-07-2001: Message edited by: Desertdog ]

Short_Stick-
Isnt the Kispiox closed to the killing of steelhead?? Actually isnt illegal to kill a wild steelhead anywhere in BC?

Besides I have seen tons of pictures of Kispiox fish and I have yet to see one that has the characteristics of the fish in the picture.

Hey Superfly where did you get the four 20 pounders and were they natives or hatchery?

Ryan S. Petzold,

Pictures tell the story. There is no way that fish came out of the Skeena. It is actually a Skagit fish that I took earlier this year.

Exactly when "this year" did you take that fish? Having come from Woolley I'm pretty sure the skagit was closed to keeping native fish for most of the season. Maybe "this year" means two different things to us but right now if I were you short-stick I wouldn't keep replying because people are liable to get upset at you. I don't want to sound harsh or anything I'm just trying to give you some good advice.

hey I'm gettin a nibble.....strike got a big one..just keeps pulling drag out......I kinda feel like the fish right now aye short sticks? Don't picture anyone getting mad anymore knowing that we're all just being played.

Tight lines

Kevin

SRBC

WHAM....another take down!!! SS, Looks like you had some good fishin down here!!!

My arms got tired reeling them all in. Actually that fish did come from the Kispiox. Ryan is so full of _____. It is only a 1.5 hr drive from my house.

Back on topic.

Where can you consistently catch large fish over 20 lbs. Regardless of wether or not you can retain them. I have heard the Skagit is a good start. Is there any truth to this rumour?

Kispiox-An hour and a half from Spokane!!! Isn't that where you say your from?

Hey Short Stick I don't think you heard about the rule change on the Skagit,and what(month) did you catch it early this year. So it is an illegal C&K native steelie? The WDFW rule change that was released on November 22 ---> http://www.wa.gov/wdfw/fish/regs/regchng/nov2200b.htm

I find it funny that when I read the majority of post that they are from seattle, or everett, or olympia, typical city people dont cut down forest, make fishing C/R, dont hunt, only take pictures of fish. Well how many of you actualy help orginizations like trouts unlimited? I hapen to volunteer, I do live on the chehalis river, and I do care about the rivers and I do fish so I can eat them, dont forget that is why god put the fish in the rivers, If you dont like that then stay in the city.

Hey IHOOKUM2, I'm glad to hear you are a volunteer. But you didn't mention to what organization(s). I assume one that does positive things for our fishing enviroment and opportunities? Or not? Let us know. Also, try not to catagorize people by location - it leads to angering guys and often is incorrect. You are right that many sportsmen from the "city" do care about preserving the environment and resources, but there are also ones that don't care about them and abuse what's left. No reason for you to catagorize guys that live near cities just because you don't - it's the only reason I see that you would write such a curious and counterproductive sentence. If members can think out their posts on here just a little more before they click on the 'post message' icon we can have a better BB here. So, we will .

Hey there "pardner", before you go generalizing anyone by location, I think you need to remember you live in Rochester...so Nuff Said.

And if you are catching and keeping wild fish down there on the Chehalis, then I'm betting you are fishing on the reservation land. I'm also willing to bet that you are doing it outside of Oakville..not Rochester. Nice try there, and isn't your favorite little rascal, Spanky?

RT--those were far from girlfriends...more like initiation. How did you explain all that cotton lint around your mouth again? Oh yeah, it was from eating "rabbit" wasn't it?

I can't believe I let this post almost fall to page 2.

Oh yeah, short_stick..... Your just one of those Canada boys..either Centerpin or Billy Meyers. Tell [Bleeeeep!] we said howdy and to read below:

RT, I volunteer when ever I can for fish inhancement. Just recently I donated equipment, and my time to help trouts unlimited out of montesano move fish docks from the college in aberdeen to friends landing, so they could raise fish to release in the lower chehalis. It was wrong to categorize bad fishing habits with people from the city, and for that I apologize. I have been fishing the chehalis for over twenty years, not to mention my father fished it before that, and my grandfather before him and within the last few years I have seen many rude and unethicle fisherman now fishing the same waters. for instance pulling right into the slout and anchoring while I'm fishing. Hey yall I dont bonk natives so I sugest that you dont bet on me, and I was fishing up river from the res.
It irritates me to have visitors to a river tell me how I should catch and release (IE: hatchery fish) on a river that I help to restock, live on, and by the way pick garbage up from people that are not part of a community that resides on the river. All I ask is when you visit this river please be respectful and take your garbage home with you. :p

Screw that. Whack that brat...if it's good enough for you to eat. I haven't seen or heard anyone harp on anyone keeping a hatchery fish before, unless that species was closed on a river.

Well, apology accepted...but you're still from Rochester :p lol

I fish that river every now and again around those parts. I just figured you were one of two people that I've seen down there is all. We are always picking up tribal trash where I fish. It sucks.