Pacemaker Fishing Forum

Hi All,
    I hope you are all doing well....realize I haven't posted since last May or so....sorry, my father past last summer and I've been busy with that.

    However, I have been fishing as much as possible in the Great Northwest....here are some pic's from my latest trip on the Yakima with my buddy Pete.  Both are Rainbows...amazing the color variation...they were taken with a sculpin streamer on a 6wt rod on the same day last fall.

20" Rainbow...all Chromed up.



18" Rainbow....all "colored" up



    While I was showing Pete the pic's...this happens...

    Pete:  So....nice pic's....but too much of you in the pic's and aren't ya' tired of chasing 'dem teeny little bow's?

    Me: ah, Pete.....buddy....lemme guess, you've been pounding that moonshine or pale ale...again?

    Pete:  Um, both...at the same time...but don't distract me... So, memba catching those shiny Steelhead out on the Olympic Peninsula?

    Me:  Ah, YEA...that was awesome!!!

    Pete:  Well, if you want to catch real Steelhead, ya' gotta get out there in the winter...January - February...that's when the "BIG" Steelhead are around.  If you wanna go, I'll hook you up with my buddy Keith.

    Me:  Ah....YES...YES I WANT TO GO....!

On the Olympic Peninsula the Steelhead come into the river system starting in the fall, but the largest Steelhead come into the system late December - March.  With the largest fish showing up January through February...which just happen to be the coldest months.  Apparently these are some of the largest Steelhead in the world and, while fewer in sheer numbers, they get as big as the Russian Steelhead....avg 10-12lbs, frequently 20lbs...and there even some 30lbs+!!!

I hooked up with Keith (who is nothing like Pete..thank god) and I have been fishing the Olympic Peninsula rivers nearly every weekend...here are some picks...these fish are hard to find and even harder to land.  I've been fortunate to hook nearly a dozen and we've gotten 7 fish into the net...All of these are wild fish, taken on a fly with an 11' 5wt Switch rod....all were released in good health.

Here are some of the better pics :-)!!!

Hoh River:  36" 15lb Steelhead...."Hen" took 25mins to get into the net.


Qeets River:  38" 17lb Steelhead...."Hen" chased this fish down river for about a quarter mile before getting it into the net.


Qeets River:  40" 20lb+ Steelhead...."Hen" this fish took me into the reel backing three times and was running around nearly 35mins before being netted.  The odd markings on its sides are probably scars left by a gill net it escaped.


You might note that I didn't do that "arm extension" thing some folks use to make the fish look bigger in the pic....these fish didn't need it.  Also, you'll notice that all of the fish are still touching the water (yes, even the first pic)....it is a regulation that wild fish are not completely removed from the water.

So what's next?  I am going to the Olympic Peninsula again in late March...Winter Steelhead will still be around...but a bit smaller fish.  April is the start of the Tiger Muskie season...I'll post pics if I catch any...won't be fishing much in May, but June - July....well, that is when the Silvers come in...you may know them as Coho...and this fall....King Salmon....these will be the topic of a new story.  Oh yeah, and I'll be heading out to Hawaii to chase giant Bonefish on the flats sometime this year....yes, I am very fortunate.....

Check out the scenery:

Sol Duc River...icy and cold


Calawah River...golden sunshine


And I had to sneak a final pic with me in it...still wearing my orange "lucky fishing hat"....and no...I haven't lost any weight yet.


Best regards and I hope you are all doing well,

Fishfry

Last edited by Fishfry (Mar-01-18 1:13AM)