My first steelie

[Scott V]

So I am out last night fishing for stripers on the American at Watt with one of my own tied clousers. No bites til all of a sudden wham, I get hit hard, and I thought right away this is not a striper. After about the 4th jump I knew for sure it was not a striper but a beautiful steelhead. It fought like a monster, my only wish is that I had something lighter than my 7 weight. But still the fight was on and I was grinning from ear to ear. Needless to say I have now caught my first steelie on one of my first tied clousers.

Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day, teach Scott to tie flies and he will eat forever.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y85/PsychoZ/IMGP0284.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y85/PsychoZ/IMGP0285.jpg

And a pic of Jeff teaching a new student.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y85/PsychoZ/IMGP0288.jpg

[jbird]

Yee-haw! Theres no hope for you now! Just kiss your family and all your other priorities goodbye right now :D Its not even fall yet, youre gonna wish you never clamped that first hook in the vise! :D :D 8)

J

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

'jbird' hit it right on the head............another customer for life!

[Adam Grace]

:lol: Jay's right, there's no hope for you now :lol:

Congratulations on your first steelie!

I once hooked a NICE adult when striper fishing with Andy one morning, After a couple large head-to-tail head shakes she came off!

Every season it seam like I have heard of some salmon or steelhead attacking a clouser and being caught, maybe I should just swing clousers on my spey rod!

[erhetta]

Congrats mano!

Wish I could have hooked up with ya. You got PM...

<----very jealous

[bigtj]

Think you are addicted now...wait until you catch an adult steelhead. You will really be in trouble then.

Congratulations, and thanks for sharing your great experience.

-John

[Scott V]

How do you tell a hatchery steelie verses a wild steelie?

[jbird]

Scott

I am curious, Did you release this fish? She looks a little dazed there on the rocks. :shock:

Your fish appears to be a hatchery fish. wild fish have a small, fleshy adipose fin between the dorsal and tail. The one you got looks to have part of it but it looks clipped.

Jay


PS If you like to release your fish...especially wild ones... you should reject the urge to pull them onto dry land. If you handle them really gently, sometimes theyll lay still in shallow water long enogh for a picture. The water can be shallow enough that the fish is on its side and somewhat helpless, as long as its mouth and gills are under clean, running water. They are like loaded springs waiting to bounce when you least expect it. It really suck to see native fish bouncing all over dry land with the angler chasing it around with a camera.

[dtp916]

Nice job Scott. Steelies are pretty cool to catch! :D

Like jbird said be careful putting fish on dry land, especially warm/hot rocks or sand. Makes a cool photo and lots of magazines do it, but its not that great for the fish.

[bigtj]

In California, any steelhead with its adipose intact should not even be removed from the water at all, except on the Smith River. Check the regs, article 2, section 7:

CATCH AND RELEASE ZERO LIMIT WATERS
In waters where the bag limit for trout or salmon is
zero, fish for which the bag limit is zero must be released
unharmed, and should not be removed from the water.

What the Jay and dtp are saying isn't just a good idea, it's the law.


Without a doubt the fish in your picture, however, was a hatchery fish. Probably went out and spent a few weeks or maybe a month or two in the estuary and decided the pickings were better back in the river. Those hatchery fish were meant to be taken, I would not have hesitated to bonk that fish in an instant, it would have made a really fine meal. However, keep in mind on the American, when you have harvested a steelhead, you must stop fishing. The limit is one hatchery adult or one "trout" (juevenille) per day. When that fish is harvested, and your limit is filled, (I believe even if you are targeting another species, I'm not 100% sure on that though). Regardless, you are done trout/steelhead fishing for that day, even on another body of water. Fill out your steelhead report card and call it a day (as you are undoubtedly aware you do need a steelhead report card, as well as a delta bay enchancement stamp, in addition to your regular fishing license, to fish the American).

Don't just take my word for it Scott, if you haven't already, when you have a chance pick up a copy of the sportfishing regulations are read the regulations thoroughly before fishing any water you're unfamiliar with. Call DF&G if you have any questions, it is their job to serve the public and clear up any questions like "what is a hatchery fish". It's the best way to avoid any misuderstandings or get a ticket from a game warden.

[Loren E]

Hey Scott, how do you like that TFO/ross combo? By the way, nice fish! -Loren

[Scott V]

I release all fresh water fish, I do not care for freshwater fish. I prefer my fish from the ocean.

As for the rod\reel combo, I love the TFO, it is a great rod for the price. I personally feel no need for a $400+ rod, but then there are others that will argue.

[jbird]

scott

I own quite a few rods in a variety of brands and prices, The TFO professional is definitly a sweety! I would think th 10' 7wt would be REALLY nice for steelhead.

Jay

PS Just when you think you dont like freshwater fish, you taste a chrome steelie that fell for a fly you tied. Thats when your wife gives you the "I love my hero" wink from across the table. :D :wink:

[bigtj]

Scott,

Technically, steelhead are anadramous, not freshwater. The adults spend half to two-thirds of their life in the ocean, so maybe they will suit your taste. You should try a hatchery steelhead some time, I think you would be surprised at how good they taste. As far as I am concerned, hatchery steelhead should be bonked and not allowed to dilute the gene pool of wild fish.

Best,

-John

[sculpin]

Make sure any steelhead you eat is pretty bright. Otherwise they could resemble what I imagine a terd taste like.

[Scott V]

When I eat fish, it is prepared by my sushi chef "who in my opinion is the best sushi chef" or I go to Tug Boat for some good fish and chips. Look at it this way, the less fish I take out of the river, the more fish everyone gets to catch and do whatever it is you please to it, just nothing wierd I hope. :lol:

[jbird]

When I eat fish, it is prepared by my sushi chef :shock: :shock: :shock: Hugh? Hugh hefner? is that you? :D :lol:

J

[bigtj]

Scott,

No nothing weird at all, I was actually halfway teasing. I love sushi, too. Fish and chips aren't bad, either.

Best regards,

-John

[bigtj]

Sculpin,

I am sure glad you added "might imagine" tasting like a turd to your description. And yes that is sage advice. A hatchery fish with bright cheeks and pearly white teeth probably tastes like a bowl full of wet sawdust.

That little half-pounder would have tasted awesome though...

-John

[sculpin]

Yea BigTJ, I put "imagine" in my post because I figured if I didn't someone would ask if I ate terds often. :D :D That someone could have a name that starts with a J and ends with a Bird. :lol:

Mark

[jbird]

:evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :lol: