Red Hot Steelhead Bite

The steelhead fishing above the Bonneville Dam has been fantastic.

Thanks for the 411 Ronbo!  Looks like you're having a lot of fun up there.  Chinook, Steelhead and soon Coho.  Gotta love it when they all come to you!

What'd your buddy think of the fight from a kayak? 

-Spot-

Yeah, thanks for the info. That's a beauty chromer for a first yak fish. 

Z

Beautiful fish, but hanging an adipose present fish like that is not a good idea. First, all wild fish are supposed to be released and aren't supposed to be taken fully out of the water. Tickets can be expensive. The other problem is that big salmonids lifted that way can suffer internal damage. It would be nice if beauts like that one could contribute to the gene pool.

Not only do we carefully release all native fish; we release nearly all the hatchery fish as well. I usually keep one or two steelhead a season(so far this season I've kept one). We don't use a landing net because it harms the fish.

we release nearly all the hatchery fish as well. I usually keep one or two steelhead a season(so far this season I've kept one).

CNR is a great thing and good on you for fishing that way. Actually, it would be a great service to keep those hatchery fish as well. Come spawning time they actually can hurt the native population so taking them out of the system is very helpful. Good to remember that these fish are bred for sportfishing and are not meant to replace native runs. If you don't plan on keeping a hatchery steelhead yourself they make great gifts.

Z

If you don't plan on keeping a hatchery steelhead yourself they make great gifts.

Yep, my neighbors usually get them.

I didn't mean to slam you or Chris, Ronbo. I just don't know how well you guys and all the newbies that read our posts, know the regs. I do know WDFW employees do check out websites and I do know that they give out tickets for lifting fish. I've got a couple of rubber nets that I use to corral fish with, if I'm in a boat.

Steelhead openers on the Methow are justified by the state (to the feds, since steelhead are ESA listed) for reducing hatchery numbers interbreeding with wild (not sure how many "natives" there are). The state biologists actually threaten to close the fishery when fishers release too many hatchery fish. Releasing hatchery fish, to keep om fishing, means they're more likely to have more wild fish encounters. Those wild encounters are tallied and are a limiting factor for the fishery.

I've modified my posts so you don't get in trouble with WDFG. I'll be more careful in the future.