Very Large Steelhead

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Actually this is a photo sent to me by a customer who is working for the UN in Bosnia trying to help rebuild their economy.

He said it is a Danube River Salmon?

I found out it is a "hutchen" which is in the salmonide family and was caught on the Trina River in Bosnia.

It is a real photo.

[Darian]

WOW!!!! Could this Salmon be one of the Eastern European fish known as a Huchen?? (a salmonid I once read about). Imagine catching that thing on a fly rod.......

[Buzz]

Check out the size of that gill plate!!!

[Ukiah Charlie]

When I lived in Munich in the 80's Bill I caught a few of these in the Isar River that runs right through downtown Munich. I even caught one when fishing with a 5 wt and small nymph for grayling right under the Deutsche Museum and had quite a crowd who applauded when I landed and released it. They remind me of a bull trout and are shaped like char (round, not flat like trout). They fight well and are difficult to catch. They use large fish with several treble hooks to catch these in the various European waters. You would really have to have a heavy rod and a super large fly to entice a fish like that in your picture....that's huge!!!

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I received an email telling me that this is a Huchen and it was caught in the Drina River in Bosnia.

Here is a link to a story about this kind of fish:

Fish & Fly....

http://www.fishandfly.co.uk/nsedit0303.html

[Darian]

Hi Bill,..... Interesting article. I thought I read about these fish somewhere, before.... The conditions that we live in here are so different than theirs. Imagine having to traverse minefields along the American to fish for Steelhead.....

Provides perspective and makes you appreciate this place more.

[Jgoding]

HI guys,

I looked up the world record for the "huchen" and it was at 130lbs. Quite a sizeable fish and unfortunately I couldn't find much else information on it with the quick search that I did. Several sites had information, but were not available in english.

Jeff

[Digger]

If I saw this on the end of my line, I'd cut the line for fear of nightmares...