So I've been fishing for steelihead since I caught my first one in 1968. I figure I've got about 30 years in fishing for them. I took the other ten or so years off to chasing other things.
I've caught multiple high teen fish, but have never cracked the 20 lb mark.
For those who have cracked the magical 20 lb mark, I'm curious how many years you fished before you caught your first 20 lber?
If you have a good stories or pictures about your first 20 lb steelie , it would be cool to hear them.
Thanks,
SF

I could analyze mine from two angles.

1) It took a 32 year fishing career to finally land my 20# trophy.

2) It took one day of fishing with TRBO to land my 20# trophy.

Just to sound like an a$$hole my first steelhead landed was 42 inches long in 1977...it was my second try at steelhead fishing, and I lost one the day before that wasn't nearly so big.

I was 7 years old.

I caught my second 20+ fish eight years later, and have been lucky enough to fish where they are and get a few more since then.

Fish on...

Todd

Not really until last year( confirmed ).

My first 20# came fairly early in my steelheading career as well.

Back in 1990, I made my first ever trip to the Hoh river. It was early March and the only bank spot my buddy and I knew of at that time was the Oxbow campground. I tied on a black / purple aerofly and made one cast into the pool just above the launch. I felt a bite, set the hook and proceeded to land a 41 X 21 buck. At first I thought I had hooked an early springer or something because it just stayed deep and dogged it. We didn't even see it until just before I landed it.

One cast, one 20+ steelhead. I was thinkin' man, this steelheading is easy on the OP. Needless to say it was 6 hours and 3 or 4 different spots later before I landed my second fish of the day which was a hen of about 8 pounds or so.

I've probably landed a dozen or so 20's since then.

Sr. year in high school on Sr. skip day. . .

I was 18 and crushin' this hen pretty hardcore. I had been seriously steelheading for about 5 years.

Streamer. That's one of those fish that there is no doubt exceeded 20 - spectacular fish.

been at it for 50 years this winter. biggest caught 19+ with trbo. i have netted many 20+ with the biggest 29+. i plunked for years at twidwells on the chehalis

I have been steelheadin since 10yrs old 28 now but have been a bonafide fishin bum for the last 8 yrs runnin. I'am pretty good on guessin weights and I would say I have had 3 fish right at the 20lb mark and one bigger. I don't pack a tape only one fish was measured because I killed it 20 lbs hatchery fish. 3 yrs ago though I was on the Hoh in march when I got an estimated 25lber on a PW hooked in the top of the head, maybe I accidently snagged it?. I knew I had a big one but when I landed it, it was rotting like a spawned out salmon. Fins white and rotten, sore spots all over it. I didn't even want to touch it. Was it a summer run ready to give up the ghost? Never seen one quite that ugly. I don't know if that one counts but it was big. Of course it was chrome when I hooked it.

Have been in the right place at the right time:

Started steelhead fishing in 1968, WHEN THERE WAS LOT'S OF WILD FISH, and lot's of Big fish....Used to fish the Humptulips, Hoh, Queets, Wynoochee, Satsop, Wishkah, North River, and Willipa

1. Biggest...26# 7 oz., 1981, during spring vacation Queets River, weighted by a fishery bio.

2. Humptulips River, 20# 1 oz.....placed in a derby that year.

3. Satsop River 23# 11 oz, late 80's.......NEVER placed in the derby that year but weighted in Monty Square.

Many in the high teens, and a few "biggies", when I was brood stock fishing in a WDFW program on the Satsop.

No mounts....wife put her foot down......

especially since matt is about 6'5!

Never cracked 20, and since I handle literally thousands of the bastards a year, I can honestly say I've never some close to 20, even with the help of a fish trap...

I landed a fish in Northern Oregon that was damn near if not 20,big ole red striped buck on a pink worm. Due to the precarious spot in which I landed it I was unable to get a measurement or a good photo of it and my priority was in getting him back to the water safely. It isn't official,so I call it at 19. Still lookin.

I cant remember when I started steelhead fishing exactly. But I imagine it has been 30 years and I caught my first 20 this past summer. In California 20 lb fish are few and far between. ( my opinion) I had to head waaay north to have my opportunity.

I've been lucky enough to catch a number of fish over twenty. But in order to catch them I've found out it's not how much you fish necessarily but where you fish for them. Certain rivers put out big fish and certain river don't. I'm guessing Todd and I have found our fish in most of the same river systems.

Fish the right places and you'll crack the 20 mark. It takes those bigger fish being around to handle them...

I've been fortunate to crack the mark a good number of times now but the day I crack the 30 pound mark in the lower 48, I'll be done with fishing...

Keith

First 20?

1996. A 27 pound fish off of the Quinault.

I'd easily been river fishing for steelhead at least 10 years by that time.

Caught my first steelhead in 1962 (after a couple years of effort) and went on to land more than a 1,000 fish before getting a true 20# in 1976.

Often the privilege of an up close and personal experience with a 20# steelehad is a matter of luck. One of my steelhead mentors fished his whole life without a 20 pounder. At the end of that spectrum I once saw an out state angler land a 22 pound fish on his very first cast in a steelhead river.

Tight lines
Curt

I fished for about 6 years and had caught probably 100 fish before my first 20, which was a hatchery fish out of the Cowlitz. Ive since caught 20's out of the Bogey, Nooch, Green, and Toutle. Most of those were wild fish.

Keys to a 20: Fish systems known for big fish; Fish during high water or during the drop, as big fish tend to be very aggressive (first bird to the worm); fish spoons, plugs, PW's, or other big stuff; and size your gear accordingly, it is tough to land them on an 1141 and spinning gear (although very possible). Also, I dont think I have caught one in less that 6' of water, they tend to like deeper, faster, with big boulders, shelves, or log jams highly preferred.

They seem to be creaturs of habit, where you catch a big fish will likely yield another one if the spot stays the same and the sun, moon, and stars line up again.

My biggest to date is a 19# hatchery summer run caught in 1990. My best chance for a 20# in the near future will be Feb 20th.