Quote:
Originally posted by CWUgirl:
Sort of on the same topic...

Television fishing shows that feature steelhead seem to be VERY different in the West vs. the great lakes. They all C&R fish, but the midwester TV fishers (that I've seen, I'm sure its not generally true) have little to no knowledge of how to treat steelhead and properly release one. In the few shows that have featured midwest steelhead, they all seemed to pick up fish by the gill plate, let them flop around in their boat, handle much too long, and then toss them back in the water. I'm not sure if their techniques come from fishing for bass and walleye that can take that kind of treatment or if that's just how they do things.... Just struck me as odd.
There's been a serious catch and keep mentality here, which lessens noticeably every year. I've caught fish here in Michigan and all over the Great Lakes and in Washington and Oregon. Our fish might even fight a little better, given proper water temp. Problem is, the water's 32-33 degrees now, and can creep up into the 60's and 70s in the summer and early fall. They don't fight well anywhere in either temperature extreme.

On an apples to apples basis, your rivers have gradient and velocity, our fish are more muscular. It's a wash, except we have waayyyyy more fish. :p