Dude, tell us more. Looking at the color of the river, it looks like you were there recently. I also see that its a hatchery fish. Do you think this is a (very early) Winter Run? Are there Hatchery Summer Runs in the Carbon? Inquiring minds want to know.

I've hooked into them while fishing for late coho while the river is that silted up, never landed though. But when ever I go back during the winter and fish the clearer water, I never even see one. What did you catch it on? I'm assuming that it was an accidental hook up while salmon fishing? Also where did you catch it? The Hatchery Zoo, the Treatment Plant, the Blue Gate, or The Confluence?

Eddie: That has to be a very early winter fish as I've never head of a Hatchery Summer Run on the Carbon, the Puyallup on the other hand might have some wild summer runs... <img border="0" alt="[wall]" title="" src="graemlins/wall.gif" />

14 pound hen, got her at the treatment plant, Yes she was a early winter run, was fishing eggs.

nice fish! thats quite a bonus fish. it sure makes me wonder how many steelhead are being bonked on the puyallup system by all of the crackers that cant tell the difference. i've never seen such a bunch of non-fisherman in my life. hopefully there wont be many humpy chasers hanging around this winter.

SA-WEET!
Hopefully that's a sign of things to come later this winter after everyone's quit chasing salmon.

May be a winter run but my guess would be that it is a hatchery stray from the Green... I've hit three summer-runs over the last four years in the Puyallup system. All were hatchery fish which neither the Puyallup or the Carbon produce. It's still pretty darn early for winter fish.....But what do I know.
Cuttie

cuttie,
you do to much assuming. winter, summer, it's a chromer steelie thats all. did you take scale samples to find out for sure that they were not carbon/puy fish?

is that a net mark by it's tail? or is that where you hooked it? ha ha! :p

I'm so stupid, stupid, stupid....I'll never assume again..

I thought that there's a planting program in the Puyallup/Carbon system. Wasn't there a wild Steelhead release rule for the Puyallup last year?

Regardless of where that fish came from, I can only hope that all his big brothers' get lost and find their way on to the end of my hook!

Steelheaddude-

You mentioned this fish was a Hen. Were the eggs fully developed? To me, by just looking at it, it doesnt look deep bellied enough to be a winter hen. It has that long slender torpedo skamania summer look. Considering the lack of rain we've had this summer, it may just be a late summer stray. Got a bright summer hen this weekend up North too, the only reason im asking.

Nice fish....Better than any salmon in my book

Steeldude,
You let the cat out of the bag!!! Nice fish though!!! Hopefully we won't see to many chummpy chasers during the WINTER RUN. Later,
Winterun.

Hey Winter run, How much did Gen. Zog pay you to pull the corky and eggs out of your fihes mouth and put his BC Steel in it's place?
he he he !

The eggs were very under developed, The picture doesnt do the fish justice, she was a fatty, beutiful fish,, She was def. A early winter run fish.

Steelheadude,

I agree with Bankwalker that your fish is more likely a summer run. It does have that "Skamania" look to it, and you said the eggs were "under developed" or immature. That is an indication of a summer run. I've caught early winter runs that begin showing up in October (almost here), and even then they contain eggs that are more mature than summer runs that I've caught during the same week or month.

Sincerely,

Salmo g.

you guys are all wrong, its a b-run steelie from the clearwater fish hatchery in idaho, well, it sure looks like it came from that river, or any other river for that matter..

It's MY fish, and I'll say what it is! It's a early winter Run!!!! And there's more a comin.

Sure looks like a summer run. Caught in Sept., immature eggs, clipped, 10% of hatchery fish stray, low water year? Don't early winters usaully come in when theres been a high water? Did you check for parasites in the mouth? Definately a summer run.

By the way, nice fish!!!

I would have to agree with Lunch Time!!! and not only that a couple years ago I caught a Summer Run on the Carbon.