I also use relatively large hooks on the OP and am a C&R advocate. Nothing smaller than a 2/0 under normal water conditions from February to April. I use the larger hooks because I miss less strikes and when I do hook up I can apply more pressure/bring 'em quicker because of the increased gap/holding power. Of course I'm using 15-20lb mainlines and the the larger hooks balance out these drift fishing outfit better too. I'm not speaking for Rich these are just my thoughts to your question CF.

2/0 w/ rags

3/0 w/worms

4/0 w/B-2s

I think CFM it was large hooks with bait taken deep. Don't want to cause any trouble .

First off, nice fish richy!!!
As far as I'm concerned, there is no one I know that cares more for native steelhead than you. If anyone out there has ever fished with Rich you will see that he handles all fish with extreme care. However, 3/0 is pretty darn big. I've found that smaller hooks tend to penetrate better and I've lost far fewer fish using smaller hooks. But believe me, Rich knows what he is doing and would do nothing to contribute to the hooking mortality of native steelies.

No offense taken CF,

I use 2/0 with rags and corkies and such and 3/0 with plastics.

When I was a kid we used the double hook set up in size 1 and 2. When it went to single barbless CnR regs above 101 in most of the places out here we had no choice but to switch to a single hook so we started using a single 2/0 in place of the double hook set up. We notticed it did far less damage to the fish useing the one Barbless 2/0 than the double 2's and we seemed to land just as many. We have never looked back and frankly I dont think ive ever had a wild winter steelhead die on me after I released it. But I dont drag them up on the bank, I never net them, and I give them lots of breaths when taking photos, (never out of water for more than 2 or 3 seconds at a time). And last but not least I dont go out there with to light of tackle like 8 to 10 pound test and a 1141 or 1082 so I get them in quick as I can.

Thanks Rich for your rely.

Obviously, there are lots of us fishermen that think that we know what we are doing (how to handle and release fish), but I think we may be missing the point, or the bigger picture here!

Releasing and handling fish is not the question here, or how long we may be keeping a fish out of the water. I believe that I can safely say that I have caught a lot, and killed a lot, of fish and I don't believe that too many other board members would question that statement. But we are not talking about handling and releasing fish here; we are talking about using an extremely large size of hook for c&r of wild fish.

I will put my personal experience on the line here on this issue. I know for a fact, that you care dearly about wild fish. But we apparently see things a little bit different on this issue. You are definitely right about the double hook issue. But in my professional opinion (and fishing was definitely my profession), you are wrong about using such large hook sizes for a hook and release fishery on wild steelhead.

Even if the bigger hooks may make it easer and faster for "the fishermen" to remove his hook, it is extremely hard for me to except or believe that a "bigger hook" is better for the survival of a wild steelhead. Since much of the mortality of a hooked fish occurs "AFTER" the fish has been released and has gone down stream; no one can see what has really happen, so who are we trying to kid?

As you know, I am not an anti "wild fish" advocate, nor do I preach that we only practice c&r; but I do understand how fish react to hooks, especially large hooks that are in the 3/0 size. Big hooks make big holes; big holes allow more bleeding, and more infection to enter the wound; which intern would also lead to higher mortality rates… one would reason!

About dragging fish up onto the bank; what makes a fishermen think that picking a fish up for picture taking is any worse then dragging a fish up onto the bank? Fish almost always have contact with rocks and river slime on there journey up river, but contact with people, or pictures is certainly not a natural occurrence in a fishes cycle!

I do not often challenge what c&r advocates may say about handling fish, or the size of the hook they use to catch wild fish, but on this one, I am very concerned!

Again Rich, I know that you care about wild fish, but I am very concerned about the hook size and holding wild fish out of the water for pictures. My clients have attempted to "hold" fish for pictures hundreds of times, which resulted in many times, the fish twisting out of their hands and slamming onto the rocks below! Not a very good thing for any fish that one wants to release unharmed!

I also assume that you were using a 3/0 barbless hook…right?


Cowlitzfisherman

It was barbless, I use barbless most of the time.

You have some good points that make sense about the hook making a bigger hole and possible causing more infection. which I agree could be a factor.

On the other side its not feasable to use anything smaller than 2/0 when using 6" plastic worms and rags and such. Not in my opinion anyways

I dont agree that holding a fish out of water for a few seconds with extreme care is the same as dragging a fish up onto the rocks. than kicking it back into the water when people figure out its wild, (which happens most of the time out here).

Plain and simple hooks poke holes in fishes mouths and do damage. I havent seen that it makes much difference in my experience as far as hook size goes. Barbed vs barbless or bait vs no bait. To light of gear vs the right gear. Using a nett vs no nett. These are all factors that in my opinion play a much larger role in the survival of the fish after release.

One problem I have faced using my old favorite 3/0s and 4/0s is really an issue on smaller fish, like up to 6-7#. The gap on the big hook can drive the point through the fish's eye. Doesn't happen often, but seldom is often enough for that kind of maiming of a fish that is planned for release. Never had that problem with 2/0 though.

GS

Picking up a fish and taking a quick photo when you know what your doing and use your head is not something you can compair to dragging a fish up on the bank. I see nothing wrong with that type of photo.

Pray for snow !!

B-run-
Hear you on the prayer for snow. The situation is beginning to look bleak. In the western Cascades the low elevation snow stations are less than 50% of normal and those above 4,000 feet only 50 to 70% of normal. With the next two week forecast being more dry weather not likely to improve much.

With the dry fall going into the winter water may be a huge issue this summer in much of the Northwest.

Tight lines
Smalma