Whatever it was it is still swiming near Vantage. All trout are closed in that area. But what a fight . I only hope it lives. It was not hooked deep, but it was bleeding. I was fishing for bass with a crangbait when this thing hit. I snaped a few pics and sent it on its way.

Take a look. Caught 3-30-03

looks like a steelhead to me.

Looks like a steelhead to me. I have stayed at the campground there and fished in that little cove where you are at, and only caught bass. That was a nice looking fish. Good catch.

Looks like a brood stock trout to me. You let it go? If it was bleeding I doubt it will make it.

Easy,
other than being dark,it's in pretty good shape for a broodstock.

Yes. I let it go. I had no choice. All trout are closed in that area. What can a guy do?
I don't think it was a broodstock. It was in very good condition. I've caught boodstock before and the fish are all beat up. Turned the bass back also.

I aways pack the camera nowadays...

Was that body of water part of the Columbia?

Hey not sure bout the fish (the other guys got that handled pretty well id say), but I do love the expressions! Especially your kids!

I hate it when that happens, don't those salmonoids know what the bottom of a bass boat looks like.

Easy,
Vantage is where I-90 crosses the Columbia,before you head up to George.

Right, I know where Vantage is. That is what I am wondering. Was that fish caught in the body of water that is part of the Columbia River or a lake near there.

If it was caught in the Columbia that very well could be a migrating steelhead.

Getty's cove is where the picture is takin. It is a little body of water rite off the columbia. It's just south of the town of vantage about 5 or 6 miles. My guess is that it is a steelhead.

Gotta be a steelhead. I noticed on the COE fish counts site that there's a bunch of steelhead going over Lower Granite Dam. Apperently they're fish that have overwintered before moving up again in the Spring. Who knows, maybe it overwintered above Wanapum?