That fish was caught by a client on Travis Moncreifs boat (local tillamook guide) I am pretty sure he knows how to measure a fish. Also he isn't exactly a small guy.

Working at for the tribe for 4 years I have seen hundreds of 20 pound dead steelhead, a handful over 25 and one just over 30.


That fish is not even 25 let alone 30. If it is monkeys will fly out of my but.

Well looks are deceiving biggest taped fish this week was 41 by 21 but my guess was that fish was only 20 # and I usual can tell with in a # of actual weight without measuring correctly! While another fish was39 by 19.5 that was deep all the way through that I know was heavier maybe 23 or 24# I know we have formulas for weight standards but fish in different stages of their cycle have a weight difference a big dark buck compared to a chromer may vary as much as 3 or 4 pounds but all and all that is a nice fish no arguement here!!!

I don't know how big the guy in the photo is, but from personal experience, it sucks being big posing with fish. I'm 6'6" and 320 pounds myself. Anytime I send someone a pic with me a fish, if they haven't seen me, they never believe it's as big as I tell them.

Ive seen pics of a few 30 # fish from the Thompson river and some rivers of the Skeena system and this fish in the pics goes 25# tops .
Unless as others have said the guy holding it is a 6ft8 300lb monster.Absolutely beautiful fish though ,fish like this are what keeps me so heavily addicted to steelheading.
Its great to see some quality steelhead returning to your rivers south of our border.As for fishing up here in the fraser valley, its one of the poorest seasons i can recall.Only the hatchery rivers have had good returns.
When would be the best time to come fish some of these oregon rivers that produce these monsters,id be hiring a guide for sure ,as im a guide myself and understand the amount of time and effort agood guide can save even the most accomplished of fisherman.
BENT RODS

....since when did they start using JELLO for bait? Hehehe

Rich,

Your scale is tuned into the same one I use!

Cowlitzfisherman

I think we all get a bit too concerned with weight. The damn sure fact is its an awesome fish.

Years ago on the Quinalut I saw a guy who had killed a big steelhead. He was sure it was 20 plus. I didn't say anything but thouight to my self it was about 18. Well, he went and had it weighred and it was "only" 19 pounds. It ruined his day when he should have been estatic about his huge fish.

GREAT FISH!!!

Truthfully, I'd take any of these fish any day of the week...

Better get out and find them as we've only got a month or so left of the big fish action, depending on the river systems you're on. Plus with all the closures as of today it limits those that have the March 15th-April15th closures.

I know where I'll be headed this wednesday and thursday and it's not the OP...

Keith

For the record, another guy on the I-fish board posted that Travis Moncrief is 6'3". That should put things into better perspective.

I myself do not believe he's a 30# but a beatiful fish none the less, I do not own a fish scale and have not personally weighed a steelhead in over 10-12yrs, I am certainly envious of that dudes buck to hand and maybe someday a fish like that and I will get another chance to play again and i WIN! I'll keep trying because that's my (our) addiction!
That is a very good example of an angler and fish positioning in that picture, and believe does great justice of true trophy steelhead! Unlike this poor example of this 40.5" taped hen caught yesterday w/Tandy on the Lwr. Q (bent not sraight & fish leaned too far back) I am not grimicing because of weight but a gnat or something got in my eye that very second of pic. so here's my

Good Luck Boys & Girls

I thought you were winking because you like us.

Nass feesh too, there Mav.

Hey Mav...
That one looks dead??? The fish's blank fixed stare kind of gives it away.

Nice fish, Mav.

It's really anyone's guess as to what you are catching on the Quinault. I'm not too sure how many true "wild" fish are in that system these days.

Either way, I don't have a problem of anyone harvesting fish on the Quinault, wild or not.

Sporties are not endangering that run of fish, when the tribe is pulling out 6,000 or so every year from the nets.

Also, JTD, if the fish was dead, why wouldn't they just take another.. better photo? Oh, the digital camera must have ran out of batteries......

My Client Bob Naber caught one on Saturday that Taped out at 40 X 23 which is 27 pounds or so, the largest fish that has ever been landed by one of my people. But it did not look as nice as those other fish that is for sure.
And it is still alive !!!!!!!!

As far as that New Law ( Sparkey's Law) I could give a **** less, it is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard of, Just try and enforce it. It will be a short time before that is over turned.
Peace
Superfly

great fish pics from all of you... the only weight that i am concerned with is the one attached to my leader.....

Well I'm headed out now in high hopes of another monster steelhead. I know that this time on is when a majority of our big fish show themselves. I just hope the nets didn't get them all. Oh well, time will tell and the camera is ready.

Nice part is if the big nates aren't around at least there's some springers...
Keith

Do the Quinault's mark their fish?

Some. Don't know the exact percentage off hand.

Most of the known hatchery fish I've pulled out of the Quinault are not marked.

It's getting better, but far below from what it should be.

Most tribal hatcheries dont do muck clipping no matter what the species.

I do believe the Quileute tribe does clip the few thousand steelhead they raise every year at the lonesome creek hatchery but im not sure about that.