What do you do when you hook into one of those hog steelies? Do you start shakeing and loose your fish fighting skill or do you take the meat to him and push your gear to the limit.

Ive gotten over the priror, found that you never land em if you try to baby em. I put the meat to him and if I loose him it wasnt meant to be. Ive lost many big fish when I was younger because I just lost it when I see or feel how big it was. And on those bigger fish you cant play the waiting game, you have to be more agressive than the fish if you whant to land him. You make him react to you not you to him.

I Lost a pig, biggest one I have ever had on the end of my line, last year, because I was under matched but I had knowone to blame but my gear. No real regrets accept I wish I had had heavier line. A week earlier I landed a 22+# fish with the same set up. The one I lost was considerably bigger and not at all as fresh as the one I landed. Some battles you just cant win.

Rich, I think every situation is different - line test, river currents, snags, obstacles to a following pursuit, etc. In general I lean toward putting the most pressure possible that fit the conditions; despite the consensus fish fight harder when fought harder. But sometimes a little finess can be a better way to go. One example is when a fish wants to take a long run, allow it to do so without trying to stop or even significantly impead it because letting it run further with just moderate drag on it will tire it out faster, unless the conditions demand stopping it (such as keeping it away from a fight ending snag or heading right for a swift tailout/rapids when you can't follow it). Sometimes keeping the rod tip very low to the water or evening down into the water can help turn a fish around when heading toward trouble. So can a sudden free spool of slack line to get a line belly drag from below the fish to make it run back into the hole away from the downstream drag (a last resort - and hope the hook is set deeply). Also during the fight keep trying to turn it's head toward you. One way I do both that and tire them faster is to put a quick but smooth harder line tug with your rod when the head shake is coming toward you, while just holding the rod steady when the headshake is going away from you. This seems to often turn the fish your way to help keep the fight in closer where you can play it more aggressively. And know your line's limits well! Then just keep after it without making any serious mistakes. The rest is usually up to the luck factor when playing a trophy fish in a tough place.

RT

I put the steel to them and fight them hard. I try to get them to run as far and as fast as I can in the first few minutes. Actually, I do that to every fish. If you're planning to let them go, they'll be healthier if you fight them fast.

If you want an interesting lesson on how hard you can really pressure a fish, tie up an 8 lb Maxima leader onto your favorite rod, hook it around a door knob or somthing, and try to break it by rearing back on your rod as if you're fighting a fish. Undamaged mono is a lot stronger than you think it is. It's very difficult to break the line if your rod is bent.

Good Post Rich,I've landed a few steelies over 20 plus,but I've lost a lot more than I've landed
I beleive you can only turn him if He wants to.
These BIG Fish are a total breed apart,their endurance is unmatched,since I don't fish braided lines or 20 plus lb rated rods,I tend to be at the mercy of Ike(aren't we all).
I say just hang on and hope for the best.....above all Release Him....Os

Treat them like any other fish if you land cool if not it wasn't ment to be

All of the really big (20 poundish) Ikes I have seen have been dogs at the end of the line....just kinda swam around like they owned the place....nothing flashy. The real heart-stoppers are the 15 pound hens - now that's a fish!!!

Keep there head turned and pray. Alot of whooping and hollering helps too!

I smile.

Clearly this is dependent upon the number of opportunities you've had. The more opportunites you've had, the better you respond.

Me, I usually come up with something like "Holy sh!t", then "Awwwwww cr@p". Then I inspect my hook to see if it's bent, then go change my shorts.

Smile. Be happy.

Try not to let any negative MOJO flow it's way into my head!


FJ...out.

Rich,

I relax. The hard part was fishing for however long it took before hooking the pig. What I mean is that I relax mentally, not physically. On the physical side, I try to sink the steel and then maintain a severe bend in my rod and let it do its work to tire out the beast. As Silver Hilton mentioned, it's hard, if not impossible, to break 8# Maxima with a bend in most common steelhead rods. For that reason, 8# Max has been my tippet of choice, except on the Thompson River, for over 25 years. With a deep bend in my rod, that fish will eventually tire out or pull free. And putting a lot of stick to him tires him out sooner rather than later. Works for me.

Sincerely,

Salmo g.

mabye thats why i've been losing most of the irons i hook into. i think i try to baby them too much. i give them just a little more hell the next time i get out(dosent look like any time soon though. )
tyler

Rich I agree with Salmo G. I try to relax, and think, so many people get a twiterred when they see how big the fish really is. if you have to bail, and follow the fish downstream, do it before its too late, and keep your rod turned into the bank your standing on, alot of guys just hold the rod up and hope...bad ju-ju, you need to always be changing the line angle. I have landed 8 Steelhead over 20, and one over 25, try to keep a clear head and think, push the gear to the limit, my parnter got a nice nate in the mid teens today, and it was the fight from hell, he did a great job in some cramped quarters, and eventualy we got the photo and released the fish, all of this on 8lb. the rod you choose to go with the light line is key.

Fuzzy

Silent Approach Jigs Giving You The Edge You Need!

I like the ones where you set the hook, it turns and heads up stream. You reel like hell to catch up to it, you finally do and ** SNAP **. I just sit there and think, I was gonna have to release it anyways..... :p :p

I'll have to let you know at a later date. Of all the Steelies I have hooked, nothing over about 16-17 lbs...

Then you are due.....have pink worm will travel!!!!


FJ...out.

same with me,Id love the chance to loose a 20 plus LB. steely.I think that fish in that range are almost unheard of in central Oregon and Washington I've caught a good sampling of them too. let me know when you want to go!!!!

DD, what do you have going on over in Richland? It must either be good or your forced to live that far inland :p
Just my .02....sounds like a long way to go for prime time, nasty, large bodied OP howgs!

FJ...out.

IT'S BEEN A GREAT YEAR!!!! I cant complain most of the rivers over here have been awsome. The rivers I fish have had record runs I have had several 15 20 fish days but most of the fish average 6-8lbs. you guys on the other side of the moutains get a a few more hogs or it might just be talk(ha ha)