Best Steelhead pic of your winter season

Lets see them. Here is a puget sound fish to start things off.

Not the greatest of pictures but a very memorable fish...

I think I saw you with that fish. Were you in a two man pontoon?

That is an awesome pic of an awesome fish, D!

Fish on...

Todd

Thanks todd, it was an awesome fish for sure. I rarely take pics but the coloring on that fisha was too picture perfect. It would make a great ad photo for the maglips too.

Very nice fish up there guys..I'll round out this post so far with a couple girls..

I tied into a couple decent fish this year..all mid teen chromer hens... ...of course.

Its been a while since I've posted but I figure I can join in with a few choice shots from this season, enjoy.....





Same fish















39.5 x 20

Nice pics..............My best shot of the season is now my avatar.Good luck,

SZ

Had a pretty good winter. Clients got some great fish and I got into a few myself. Here's a few of the better shots and bigger fish

Little Umpqua Hen


Ump Buck same day


Little Wilson buck


Mike battling on the Qua with Perry scooping


A dandy from the Siletz. Got lucky. Two Camera man on board rolling for this one. Looking forward to the video.


Last fish of the winter. My client Dave's second ever. Got his first a few hours before. A 38x19 hatchery brooder. Not quite 20 though :beachhead:


JD

Fish is great, pic is great...but that quoted part is best

Fish on...

Todd

to hard to choose just 1 pic from what i consider to be the best season of my life for steelhead. many nice fish were caught, friendships forged, and then the ones that got away!!!

for my pictures i chose fish that have a unique story, are unique in their own, or are part of something special. they aren't just 20+lbers caught, except the last fish... he is just XXL



my first of the season to go ~20, and just mint bright. never seen a steelhead carry girth from collar to tail like this guy did... i think he was 37.25x20.5


my close bud and fishing partner for years cracking his first over 20 ever. the fish appeared to have broken its jaw at some point and it re healed very weird. we took the measurements from the nose to tail fork rather then the tip of the bottom jaw. it was 24F out that morning when we slid the boat off trailer and we started our day with this fish. crown shots started early!!


1 over 20 wasn't enough for him for the season so he did it again, needed some assistance with the pic as he was shaking from the excitement of the fight.


my first over 20 on the center pin rod, was from up north in bc though


the warrior award of the season goes to this behemoth- big, bad, and down right pissed off.

STUD!

A Christmas eve special gift. 16.5 lbs of chrome hatchery steel.

There's a river that's been on my radar for 20+ years that I had never fished until recently. Seemed like there was always better fishing on other rivers. But this spring, my infamous brush-busting, exploring juices got flowing and I decided it was time to put the speculation about this river to rest once and for all. So out came the maps and a little Google Earth action and the next thing I knew…..

I discovered a gem.

Part of me is kicking myself for looking the other way for so long and what I've missed but the other half of me is amped for the years ahead and the new set of options it gives me when other places get crowded and I need to get away.

One of the fish from this day, this fish isn't anything spectacular in the size dept. but I like the play on light and shadow as it came to hand. Great fight and all wild. The pic reminds me that just when I think there are no waters left to explore and there's no way to escape the masses, there are!

That's pretty cool, Eric!

Fish on...

Todd

Nice pics everyone. 0 for 10. Days.

The only fish I touched all season, I passed off to a friend visiting from out of town. A nice little xmas morning hen.

Best fish was a handsome, wild, chromer buck from the Calawah, maybe 10 pounds. Also got a slightly larger, nearly ready-to-spawn buck from the Hoh this month. The rest of my handful were tasty, but not large or glamorous, hatchery fish, so no good pics to share. Great post, huh?

Some of you caught some real dandies... Nice work!

I don't have a picture or even the second half of a video for the most memorable fish of my season. We were anchored up while My buddy Ray was re-rigging. There was a bathtub sized boulder across from us and I had just told Ray there HAD to be a fish there. I cast and was calling the play like a sports announcer, which to some might be annoying, but so far Ray has put up with me. "Right there, around the far side of the boulder, tucks in behind, right there, bam! C'mon!" The rod loaded up and when I yelled "Fish!" Ray must have started the video. I didn't even know he was listening to me.

Since we were in fast water and I couldn't control the fish, Ray shut the video off and rowed us over to some calm water. We planned to resume video or at least snap a picture but this fish NEVER quit. When we netted it, I had to fight it just to get a set of pliers on the hook and the second I pulled it, the fish just exploded out of the net. rather than trying to manhandle the fish, I just calmly watched it twist and glide away. I didn't want to risk hurting it just for some inconsequential tribute to myself.

The fact I don't have a picture made this fish memorable and I love hearing the excitement in Ray's voice- the guy lights up like a light bulb when we are into fish. Turn up the volume. Sorry for leaving you hanging when it shuts off... But... Just imagine a warm sunny day, a nickel bright beautiful fish brought to hand and a great translation from an initial nervousness of losing or hurting to credible moment with an incredible fish. I don't know how big it was and don't really care. I hope the link works




http://youtu.be/jScGX9owdVQ

A decent winter steelhead thread. Bout damn time! Nice pics and stories y'all.

Looks like my buds place in the background below the store. Can't wait to get back down there.

Not the best pictures from my winter but my most memorable fish. Last day of the puget sound season and my second fish on the pin rod, first was a wild buck the day before. She tore the entire hole up in no time and completely made my year.

Damn Phil M that is a toad!!! Did you get a tape on it? I didnt get out as many times this year as I usually do. Did pick up about a 16 lb hatchery one day. We were on a long float in low water and not far from the takeout. Hooked 3 fish in 20 minutes in the same hole on the same rod and setup. Some nice fish guys.

yep i did

Great looking fish. Love the colors....

Angel loves those eastfork spawners!!! yum yum!!!

Love those American bullies

two of my favorites!

The most elusive steelhead on the planet. A true 18-19 lber. Also known as an internet 20 and orygun 25.