I'll have an exclusive report on this fishery posted soon in my West Coast column for ESPN Outdoors, but here's a glimpse of the 58-plus-pounder (49 1/2 x 35 = estimated weight easily over 60 pounds before bleeding) landed today on the lower Chetco River by a client fishing with my buddy Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing. It weighed in at 58 pounds 3 hours after it was killed and bled.

In the second (vertical) photo, keep in mind that Martin is a big dude, 6-4 and the high 200s.

Most of you on here are probably pretty familiar with the Rogue, but the Rogue's little sister to the south, the Chetco, might be an even better bet for 50-plus-pound fish.

We'll chat about this fishery with Martin on NWWC this Saturday.

JS/NWWC

Shoulda put it back.

Beat me to it, +1

Heck of a nice fish, but pics releasing it next to the boat or on shore would impress me more.

if you dont want any of these fish killed you should quit fishing.

It's pretty easy to see the logic in letting big specimens go, while keeping "run of the mill" sized fish to eat.

Why do we have to quit fishing to not want those fish killed? Explain yourself!
Thats one big Humpy!

Not on your life.

That's what keeps so many of us coming back trip after trip after trip.

The chance to tussle with one of those bad boys.

Selectively harvesting the biggest baddest breeding stock in the entire run does nothing to improve the odds of keeping that opportunity alive for your kids and grandkids and the angling community at large.

In this day and age, intellectual honesty tells you that intentionally killing that magnificent creature is an incredibly selfish act.

Is killing a 30# native steelhead any different?

Yeah, thought so.

JFC!

lets get real here, you go to alaska and cnr the [censored] out of chinook and you can honestly say with a straight face that you dont kill any of them ??, or do you think that if you do kill any thru cnr that its the little ones and all the big ones make it, all i can say about you is .

In case you didn't know (which you obviously DON'T) the release mortality on big Kenai bucks is a whopping 1.9%.

Statistically, I have to release 52.6 of them to kill one.

Honestly, I can live with the guilt.

JFC!

Hooking Mortality of Chinook Salmon Released in the Kenai River, Alaska

TERRY BENDOCK

Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Sport Fish Division, 34828 Kalifornsky Beach Road, Suite B, Soldotna, Alaska 99669, USA
MARIANNA ALEXANDERSDOTTIR

Washington Department of Fisheries, 115 Government Administration Building, AX-11, Olympia, Washington 98504, USA

Abstract

Short-term (5-d) mortality of chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha caught and released in the Kenai River was assessed with radiotelemetry. From 1989 to 1991, 446 adult chinook salmon were tagged with radio transmitters in four experiments. Overall hooking mortality averaged 7.6% and ranged from 10.6% in 1989 to 4.1% in 1991. Mortality was highest for small males (<750 mm mid-eye length) compared with large males and all females. Wound location and bleeding were the factors principally associated with mortality. Survival of chinook salmon that were hooked in the gills or were bleeding was significantly reduced; however, the frequency of these injuries was small in all experiments. Most mortalities occurred within 72 h of release, These results support the use of hook-and-release regulations in similar freshwater chinook salmon fisheries to reduce sportfishing mortality effectively and achieve spawning escapement goals.
Cited by
R. John H. Hoxmeier, and David H. Wahl. (2009) Factors Influencing Short-Term Hooking Mortality of Bluegills and the Implications for Restrictive Harvest Regulations. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 29:5, 1372-1378
Online publication date: 1-Oct-2009.
Abstract . Full Text . PDF (102 KB)
H. George Ketola, James H. Johnson, Jacques Rinchard, Francis J. Verdoliva, Mary E. Penney, Andreas W. Greulich, and Russell C. Lloyd. (2009) Effect of Thiamine Status on Probability of Lake Ontario Chinook Salmon Spawning in the Upper or Lower Sections of Salmon River, New York. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 29:4, 895-902
Online publication date: 1-Aug-2009.
Abstract . Full Text . PDF (78 KB)
Michael R. Donaldson, Robert Arlinghaus, Kyle C. Hanson, and Steven J. Cooke. (2008) Enhancing catch-and-release science with biotelemetry. Fish and Fisheries 9:1, 79-105
Online publication date: 1-Apr-2008.
CrossRef
Matthew L. Keefer, Charles T. Boggs, Christopher A. Peery, and Christopher C. Caudill. (2008) Overwintering Distribution, Behavior, and Survival of Adult Summer Steelhead: Variability among Columbia River Populations. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 28:1, 81-96
Online publication date: 1-Feb-2008.
Abstract . Full Text . PDF (279 KB)
Laura Cowen, Nicole Trouton, and Richard E. Bailey. (2007) Effects of Angling on Chinook Salmon for the Nicola River, British Columbia, 1996–2002. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 27:1, 256-267
Online publication date: 1-Feb-2007.
Abstract . Full Text . PDF (104 KB)
T. C. Nelson, M. L. Rosenau, and N. T. Johnston. (2005) Behavior and Survival of Wild and Hatchery-Origin Winter Steelhead Spawners Caught and Released in a Recreational Fishery. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 25:3, 931-943
Online publication date: 1-Aug-2005.
Abstract . Full Text . PDF (193 KB)
Aaron Bartholomew, and James A. Bohnsack. (2005) A Review of Catch-and-Release Angling Mortality with Implications for No-take Reserves. Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries 15:1-2, 129-154
Online publication date: 1-Mar-2005.
CrossRef
TAKAHIDE DOI, TOMOYUKI NAKAMURA, MASASHI YOKOTA, TAKASHI MARUYAMA, SEIICHI WATANABE, HIROFUMI NOGUCHI, YUSUKE SANO, and TOMOFUMI FUJITA. (2005) Destiny of hooks remaining in the body of Japanese charr Salvelinus leucomaenis and masu salmon Oncorhynchus masou masou. NIPPON SUISAN GAKKAISHI 71:3, 348-353
Online publication date: 1-Feb-2005.
CrossRef
C. W. D. Gurshin, and S. T. Szedlmayer. (2004) Short-term survival and movements of Atlantic sharpnose sharks captured by hook-and-line in the north-east Gulf of Mexico. Journal of Fish Biology 65:4, 973-986
Online publication date: 1-Nov-2004.
CrossRef
Shijie Zhou. (2004) A Pipeline Model for Estimating Fishing Mortality in Salmon Mark-Selective Fisheries. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 24:3, 979-989
Online publication date: 1-Aug-2004.
Abstract . Full Text . PDF (184 KB)
Robert B. Lindsay, R. Kirk Schroeder, Kenneth R. Kenaston, Robert N. Toman, and Mary A. Buckman. (2004) Hooking Mortality by Anatomical Location and Its Use in Estimating Mortality of Spring Chinook Salmon Caught and Released in a River Sport Fishery. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 24:2, 367-378
Online publication date: 1-May-2004.
Abstract . Full Text . PDF (171 KB)
TAKAHIDE DOI, TOMOYUKI NAKAMURA, MASASHI YOKOTA, TAKASHI MARUYAMA, SEIICHI WATANABE, HIROFUMI NOGUCHI, YUSUKE SANO, and TOMOFUMI FUJITA. (2004) Hooking Mortality and Growth of Caught and Released Japanese Charr Salvelinus leucomaenis and Masu Salmon Oncorhynchus masou masou in Experiment Ponds. NIPPON SUISAN GAKKAISHI 70:5, 706-713
Online publication date: 1-Feb-2004.
CrossRef
John R. Post, Craig Mushens, Andrew Paul, and Michael Sullivan. (2003) Assessment of Alternative Harvest Regulations for Sustaining Recreational Fisheries: Model Development and Application to Bull Trout. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 23:1, 22-34
Online publication date: 1-Feb-2003.
Abstract . Full Text . PDF (135 KB)
Shijie Zhou. (2002) Uncertainties in Estimating Fishing Mortality in Unmarked Salmon in Mark-Selective Fisheries Using Double-Index-Tagging Methods. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 22:2, 480-493
Online publication date: 1-May-2002.
Abstract . Full Text . PDF (148 KB)
C. Manire, R. Hueter, E. Hull, and R. Spieler. (2001) Serological Changes Associated with Gill-Net Capture and Restraint in Three Species of Sharks. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 130:6, 1038-1048
Online publication date: 1-Nov-2001.
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Joseph E. Hightower, James R. Jackson, and Kenneth H. Pollock. (2001) Use of Telemetry Methods to Estimate Natural and Fishing Mortality of Striped Bass in Lake Gaston, North Carolina. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 130:4, 557-567
Online publication date: 1-Jul-2001.
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Steven J. Cooke, David P. Philipp, Jason F. Schreer, and R. Scott McKinley. (2000) Locomotory Impairment of Nesting Male Largemouth Bass Following Catch-and-Release Angling. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 20:4, 968-977
Online publication date: 1-Nov-2000.
Abstract . Full Text . PDF (92 KB)
Phillip W. Bettoli, and Randall S. Osborne. (1998) Hooking Mortality and Behavior of Striped Bass Following Catch and Release Angling. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 18:3, 609-615
Online publication date: 1-Aug-1998.
Abstract . Full Text . PDF (69 KB)

When you have a few moments I encourage you to actually read that study.

You will come to realize that the stratified release mortality on the dinks and rats is 11%, hens 6.8% and large bucks 1.9%.

Bottom line, big bucks are the ones best able to tolerate the C&R encounter.

the fellow who caught that hog had every right and the morality to keep it if thats what he chose to do as long as it was legal
releasing large specimens is a great idea if you choose to do so but it's a personal choice
regardless of the outcome, you fellows getting in a pissin match over it won't increase the odds that your grandkids will get to fish

bottom line: quit squibbling and get over it so you can work together to make a better future

note: posted by someone doing nothing but sitting on his ass typing on the internet

FnP,

Perfectly spoken!

Thank you

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah. It was his right to keep the fish, BLAH BLAH BLAH!....Why would you want to keep a fish that big. To eat? To take pics and brag? Why not keep the dinks for eating? Why not take the measurements for a mount if you want the trophy........Keep the genetic freaks in the water to spawn....

P.S.
Boater, you have no clue what your talking about.

Keep killing them and you'll be quitting fishing whether you want to or not But prior to that time you may catch a fish of that caliber and then you too can stroke you small penis on the internet!

This I agree with. Just don't think posting a pic of a dead fish of that size, especially if fishing with a guide, will impress me! I'm with Sky-Guy. I pic of it being released next to the boat is impressive! Guides do this to drum up business, and to get on the radio I suppose, but for me it's just another guide I would never even think to hire!!!

The size of that fish is partly due to genetics and partly due to the fact that it wasn't caught in the ocean in years 3 and 4 of it's life.

I have been to Alaska once. I have fished with a guide once. I fished on a river that was open to retention and released a guide estimate 58# once. It can be done.

humpbacknook. what a donkey.... the tail wrist is as wide as dude's leg.

i'm w/ doc and ry-guy, watching a toad like that swim away is one of life's finer moments.

Hey Boater,

Just a small bit of clarification here - I don't think anyone's suggesting that we don't keep any fish.

But hawgs like this one have the genetics to breed more hawgs, so we want to keep those in the river to spawn. Did he want it for a trophy mount? For food? Pics and a repro mount or a smaller "eater" buck would have been better choices.

If it's just for the ego gratification of lifting a bloody trophy over his head and grinning for the camera (like English Pete's 30lb Hoh Steelhead), it's pretty damn selfish.

Just my .02,

Brian