My First Steelhead Over 30

I'm so excited I don't mind telling you all how and where.

This beauty was estimated at 44 by 25. (I didn't have a tape, so estimated both measurements.)

The photo doesn't do it justice, but trust me it was well over 30.

I took this beauty at Tokul creek on a Doc Spratly swung fly, using a 14 foot two-handed rod. The fight was well over thirty minutes - or so it seemed to me. See you all there tomorrow.

Congrats Dave!!! Got any more photo's?

Looks bigger than that to me.

I do but the fish looks small in the other photos.

C'mon Dave... it's patently obvious that fish ain't a ounce over 29!

I recognize that hole. Gr8 spot! What size strike indicator did you use?

might wana get the eye checked

Centimeters or inches?

Holy [censored] Dave...What a fish!!!! Congrats from both of Us !!!!

Great...another elitist fly snob

I gotta go inches on that one.

fp

WTF?

You must have been fishing with Rossiman

awesome, probly one of the last around in that area,

fuc$#&g beautiful!!

What a coincidence Dave! I was there yesterday and caught a fish pushing 30 too. Incredible fight in small water.

Sorry for the lack of details in the picture...I didnt want to give my spot behind the hatchery away.

Is that your first fish over 30 inches...or the first one you've landed since you were 30 years old?



Fish on...

Todd

1st fish after dropping 30 tabs of acid ?

c/22

Need those be mutually exclusive?

Impressive girth on that bad boy but thats what the ladies have been telling you for years Vedder...

Not in the least, Reverend.

Fish on...

Todd

P.S. I can tell from the photo that it's a 29 inch coho that you caught when you were 27, so quit trying to snowjob us!

Tokul!

Good on you.

Dude I let that one go a week ago. Can't believe you killed my fish.

Bash it with a rock...then weight it. Nobody will believe you if you don't...

Left bank,Right bank or middle of Tokul creek.
Don't wanna waste any time.

I've never seen so many people with 14' rods at Tokul today in all my life. Swatting and slapping each other on opposite side of the ditch with those 14' weapons.

I'm getting my pole all strung up right now with a bobber. . .see you guys there,

fb

Lower eyeball to upper jaw line divided by lower eyeball to upper jaw line ratio multiplied by number of angels on the tip of a needle equals 0.6703830073 fishicules which indicates that this fish equals 6.8#, the assumed average size of a Tokul fish.

You must have been using centimeters instead of inches.

I crack me up.

Don't knock Tokul!!!
I have landed 3 fish over 20lbs. there in the last 30 years!
Lost a few others.
It's not like it was in the early 70's when you could fish upstream, but they are there.

Yah, I hear ya GBL, but he may be spoolin' us.

I feel the light bite of the hook , head shake follows.


My spelling sucks.

I'll always remmeber the 30# that got away...epic battle that the fish won.

I thought I was snagged on a rock but than............

Dave can pull our chain, it is aloud!
But, Tokul in the old days was amazing, huge Steelhead showed up every late winter and when they were not there, they would be in the Raging river.

My Uncle used to work at the Tokul hatchery. He never lost his enthusiasm for running down to the river and catching a fish or two during his time off and occasionally on his lunch break. I remember his wife yelling at him for dropping off the fish in their bathtub until he had time to process them.
That was where/when I learned to use what are now referred to as "yarnies". It was in the early/mid '60's. Many fun times were had there. I haven't even seen the river in many years, and am sure that it would leave me with an empty gut feeling now days, not unlike many spots I used to fish that have gone by the wayside.

Clever variation of the Ramsey Method. Strategic version.

1. Hold/anchor above the offending boat and start throwing out anything shiny that will float.
Birdies, Corkys, Oakies, and gobs of brand-spanking new HotShots.

2.Watch offending boat disappear downriver.

3. Repeat as necessary.

4.

Boooo Yeahhhh!

Dr. Rick just put the SMACK DOWN on Francis!

Looks like we have a *new* Doc in Da House!!!



PS. I just love all these "internet 30" pound fish! That fish will be lucky to hit 27.

PPS - - If you would have put on that Toro 50 with the new carbon washer I built up for you, the fight would have only lasted 15 minutes, or so. Fish is probably dead now. Rookie.

Too funny..........

Keith

Beautiful fish Dave.

What leader and tippet length / test-weight combination did you use for this.

Classic STAM post right there

I think it's also important to know...scotch or beer? Before or after the catch? Baseball cap or beanie? Did you drive a Ford or Chevy to the river?

Thanks in advance.

Fish on...

Todd

Okay, it's easier to tell the truth than answer all those damn questions. It was a 30 cm corn eyed brown trout, caught on bait, in the sewage treatment plant, by I-5 in Everett.

There, now I feel better. That was the first lie I ever told, and I hated it. I will never do that again.

I'd feel better too after a 30 cm brown trout release, probably go down a pant size too

I heard it was a handoff too!

I'll answer for Dave, since I was there with FogDucker and we saw it. But Dave didn't see us.
(Dave, please forgive me 8^) )

The camera was a Nokon D90, engineered to unleash the artistry.

The raincoat was a Samm's 1120-D-30-S, bioengineered to allow all bad vapours away while protecting the spleen.

The hands were washed before and after with banana scented Joy, and dried with a special anise scented rag. Special No-nitri-lat-non allergenic gloves were used.

The vest was a Columloomiredimms D180 Special Professional Steelheader vest.

He doesn't know the hook.

He wasn't wearing a hat since it wasn't raining.

Datsun 210.

Willie!

License always in posession.

What were the other questions?

Dave "not Dave"

You saw the corn eyed brown trout?

No corn was harmed in the catching of that fish.

Now how big was the drift boat... 42 ft

I've walked up and down Tokul creek and seeing how shallow it is right now, a 30 LB steelhead would stick out like looking at a 10 LB steelhead in a kiddy pool.

I recognize that fish from the picture as the same one I released the day before.

Is that the one that had 3 scales missing on the starboard side?

FD