Author Topic: Steelhead out West (Read 464 times)

Devin Olsen · « **on:** April 17, 2011, 01:21:21 AM »

Just so all you Great Lakes boys know that you're not the only ones who have them, here are a couple of the better ones from my steelhead trip yesterday.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?fbid=10150161606091915&id=561081914&aid=288007&l=87c4ff4052

Dejon Hamann · « **Reply #1 on:** April 17, 2011, 08:18:13 AM »

Beasty dropbacks there! I love that feeling when you can barely get your hand around the tail.

What course do those fish take out there? (open water to gravel)

Devin Olsen · « **Reply #2 on:** April 17, 2011, 12:02:16 PM »

[ What course do those fish take out there? (open water to gravel)
[/quote]

Dejon,
These fish come up through all the dams on the Columbia and Snake and into the main fork of the Salmon above Challis. Something like a 600 mile journey.

Jim Frazier · « **Reply #3 on:** April 18, 2011, 07:44:10 PM »

Devin , 600 mile journey thats a heck of a hike back in the country to catch steelhead

what were they takin pal ? eggs or streamers ?

Devin Olsen · « **Reply #4 on:** April 18, 2011, 09:47:14 PM »

@Jim They were taking stoneflies and fluorescent czech nymphs for the most part.

Dejon Hamann · « **Reply #5 on:** April 19, 2011, 11:27:20 AM »

What a mind boggling journey for them to take and their in such great shape. What are the larger fish you guys run into over there?

Devin Olsen · « **Reply #6 on:** April 19, 2011, 04:28:07 PM »

Dejon,
The biggest I have come across in the Salmon are around 32". My friend netted one for a spin fisherman that was 44" a couple weeks ago. On the Clearwater they get a lot bigger than on the Salmon because they are mostly B run fish that spend an extra year in the ocean. Clearwater fish average 32-35 inches and get over 40" every once in a while. Most of the A runs on the Salmon run 23-27 inches.

Jim Frazier · « **Reply #7 on:** April 19, 2011, 06:57:34 PM »

wow devin nice fish. I couldn't imagine a fresh 44 " rocket . A guy would need a schoufer home due to aching elbows , might be dangerous driving with a numb elbow ...WAHOOOO

Dejon Hamann · « **Reply #8 on:** April 19, 2011, 09:50:23 PM »

Do you guys ever weigh them? I'm just trying to translate the size vs our "lake" runs here.

Also, have you seen any online resources illustrating their migration. I find this stuff so intriguing.

Devin Olsen · « **Reply #9 on:** April 19, 2011, 11:32:44 PM »

Dejon,
I've never weighed or girthed one so I'm not sure on their weight. I would assume that they weigh a lot less than your lake runs this time of year because they overwinter pretty much without eating during the winter. During the fall they are beasts.

Here is a map of the system though it doesn't have names of the rivers. The first main river drawn below Hell's Canyon Dam is where these fish ascend. They follow the river all the way to it's head to the southeast.

http://www.salmonrecovery.gov/Files/BiologicalOpinions/2000/2000_Final_Strategy_Map_4.pdf

Mark Hanes · « **Reply #10 on:** April 20, 2011, 07:42:47 AM »

that is quite the journey! They are an amazing fish that is for sure. Do they have any help to navigate the dams? Lifts? or anything to that nature.

Devin Olsen · « **Reply #11 on:** April 20, 2011, 01:38:10 PM »

@ Mark
They have fish ladders that the adults make it up pretty well. It's the juveniles going back down through the dams that get slaughtered. Up to 90% of the fish that go through die at each dam. You can imagine how that narrows the smolts making it to the ocean pretty quickly. Over the last 10-15 years they've spent all kinds of money putting them in barges to get them down, but that causes other problems with timing of them entering the ocean (their ability for osmotic balance) and environmental recognition when they ascend the system as adults.

Devin