45 Pound Skagit Chinook on a Twitchin Jig

[bigfishguy]

I saw the river level drop temporarily that day, must have been when you removed the fish from the water! I'm not going swimming in the Skagit if monsters like that inhabit its depths.

[NFCustom]

Unfortunately fighting a fish a mile downstream on humpy gear probably killed that fish through exhaustion. It's gonna take a lot of work for that fish to make it back to its redd.

[natetreat]

Unfortunately fighting a fish a mile downstream on humpy gear probably killed that fish through exhaustion. It's gonna take a lot of work for that fish to make it back to its redd.

I certainly hope this isn't the case, but you could be right. In the Snohomish while fishing for humpies we've hooked a few big chinook lately, and once we see that they're kings we point the rod and break off, or pop the hook. A fish of a lifetime for Danny for sure, but in my book it's not worth the risk.

Some of these Snoho kings are gorgeous fish, they're bright red and orange, not the regular brown that you see so much of. I would really like to see a big resurgence in king numbers in the PS rivers. I do my part. Last year there was a young angler on the Duwamish at 112th that hook and giant. The thing was around the size of this one. I wasn't close enough to him to to mention anything, but he ripped it from the water, held it up by the gillplate for a picture and then chucked it back into the water. It floated belly up for a while. I ran down to revive it for about 5 minutes, and it swam off, but I'm not sure it didn't end up as seal food. That guy got a piece of my mind for sure.

[NFCustom]

Unfortunately fighting a fish a mile downstream on humpy gear probably killed that fish through exhaustion. It's gonna take a lot of work for that fish to make it back to its redd.

I certainly hope this isn't the case, but you could be right. In the Snohomish while fishing for humpies we've hooked a few big chinook lately, and once we see that they're kings we point the rod and break off, or pop the hook. A fish of a lifetime for Danny for sure, but in my book it's not worth the risk.

Some of these Snoho kings are gorgeous fish, they're bright red and orange, not the regular brown that you see so much of. I would really like to see a big resurgence in king numbers in the PS rivers. I do my part. Last year there was a young angler on the Duwamish at 112th that hook and giant. The thing was around the size of this one. I wasn't close enough to him to to mention anything, but he ripped it from the water, held it up by the gillplate for a picture and then chucked it back into the water. It floated belly up for a while. I ran down to revive it for about 5 minutes, and it swam off, but I'm not sure it didn't end up as seal food. That guy got a piece of my mind for sure.

Nate I usually will disagree with you but you're spot on with this 1. If a fish isn't legal to fish for or retain I immediately pop it off too.

[natetreat]

Unfortunately fighting a fish a mile downstream on humpy gear probably killed that fish through exhaustion. It's gonna take a lot of work for that fish to make it back to its redd.

I certainly hope this isn't the case, but you could be right. In the Snohomish while fishing for humpies we've hooked a few big chinook lately, and once we see that they're kings we point the rod and break off, or pop the hook. A fish of a lifetime for Danny for sure, but in my book it's not worth the risk.

Some of these Snoho kings are gorgeous fish, they're bright red and orange, not the regular brown that you see so much of. I would really like to see a big resurgence in king numbers in the PS rivers. I do my part. Last year there was a young angler on the Duwamish at 112th that hook and giant. The thing was around the size of this one. I wasn't close enough to him to to mention anything, but he ripped it from the water, held it up by the gillplate for a picture and then chucked it back into the water. It floated belly up for a while. I ran down to revive it for about 5 minutes, and it swam off, but I'm not sure it didn't end up as seal food. That guy got a piece of my mind for sure.

Nate I usually will disagree with you but you're spot on with this 1. If a fish isn't legal to fish for or retain I immediately pop it off too.

I'm pretty sure that we agree on more things than you'd think NFC. You'll find that sometimes I will argue from the opposing side in the interest of having a more productive debate. I enjoy understanding both sides of a topic, that way folks can come to an informed decision, which is usually the right one. From native fish, to mouth snagging we're on the same page in reality.

[RiverChromeGS]

Nate I usually will disagree with you but you're spot on with this 1. If a fish isn't legal to fish for or retain I immediately pop it off too.

Haha ok... So we should all stop fishing for native steelhead. Everyone fishing catch and release for bass should stop fishing. Marlin fishing in the tropics should be shut down.... Maybe releasing a fish should be illegal..

The chinook was landed with a knotless net while still very lively. He was held facing upriver immediately after landed, turned on his side for 3 seconds for a picture, and held in the water until he bolted from my grasp into the middle of the river. The fish was not spawning, and will not spawn or at least a month. This fish has been to alaska and back and gone 50 miles up the skagit. The fish was fine and is only suffering from a minor toothache from a humpy jig. I can care for my fish just fine thank you

[RiverChromeGS]

Nicely done! I like the bend in the jig!!!!! I've had that happen with the big ones and I know you were just holding your breath hoping it wouldn't let go. I used to fish the Nooksack delta when I lived in Marietta, Cutts and Kings.

Nice bodo! Still some big boys up that way as well. Saw some 50 lbers on the southfork nooksack during last coho season. And yes! With that jig i was pretty sure we were gonna lose him. Got lucky!

[NFCustom]

Nate I usually will disagree with you but you're spot on with this 1. If a fish isn't legal to fish for or retain I immediately pop it off too.

Haha ok... So we should all stop fishing for native steelhead. Everyone fishing catch and release for bass should stop fishing. Marlin fishing in the tropics should be shut down.... Maybe releasing a fish should be illegal..

The chinook was landed with a knotless net while still very lively. He was held facing upriver immediately after landed, turned on his side for 3 seconds for a picture, and held in the water until he bolted from my grasp into the middle of the river. The fish was not spawning, and will not spawn or at least a month. This fish has been to alaska and back and gone 50 miles up the skagit. The fish was fine and is only suffering from a minor toothache from a humpy jig. I can care for my fish just fine thank you

I've never heard of an hour long fight on a Native Steelhead. Bass guys horse fish their fish in almost immediately. Marlin aren't exhausted from traveling to their natal spawning grounds. I think you missed the point Danny.

[RiverChromeGS]

I've never heard of an hour long fight on a Native Steelhead. Bass guys horse fish their fish in almost immediately. Marlin aren't exhausted from traveling to their natal spawning grounds. I think you missed the point Danny.

Many 20+ pound steelhead are fought for an hour, bass are ripped off their spawning beds with 8/0 hooks and i know many large marlin are fought for 12+ hours. My point is there is a million things you can say have hurt a fish someone released, but your just doing it to cause a fight. Youve done it on the last 5 things ive posted and even got a thread shut down. Not sure what your trying to prove

[Steelheadin360]

No offence to some of the senior members of this site. But what is up with all these guys attacking everyone on here. This is not the place to be doing that. You have a problem with the way someone is doing something? Then send them a PM.

There seems to be a flood of new people that think they are the "All Might I-know-everything-about-fish and you are wrong" types. News flash people, WDFW and many other organisations have spent a lot of money researching the effects of catch and release fishing. If it was really that bad for the fish it would be illegal. and if you have some science to back your theory's up then go ahead and prove your case, instead of just slapping your fingers on the keyboard. They are well aware that fish are gonna be caught by anglers targeting different species. They know that Salmon and Steelhead guys are gonna let a lot of fish go. Oregon recently did a study on the mortality rates of Chinook that were caught then subsequently released, the results shocked me. Some fish were bleeding pretty good after a good battle and they lived. Almost of the fish that were released lived.

So here is a wonderful idea. Instead of attacking the people that are practicing proper catch and release, and following the rules, lets all focus our effort in getting the people in trouble that break the rules.

Danny did nothing wrong, if any of you were in his shoes and hooked a monster king I can bet you would try to land it too.


and NFcustom, if you have never heard of an hour long fight with a native Steelhead then maybe you should tie into one on a light action float rod when your fishing for cookie cutter hatchery brats. and I can almost promise you wont pop off a Big Steelhead when its a once in a life time fish.

[RiverChromeGS]

Oregon recently did a study on the mortality rates of Chinook that were caught then subsequently released, the results shocked me. Some fish were bleeding pretty good after a good battle and they lived. Almost of the fish that were released lived.

if any of you were in his shoes and hooked a monster king I can bet you would try to land it too.

and I can almost promise you wont pop off a Big Steelhead when its a once in a life time fish.

I also read about this study in Oregon. Many fish deep hooked on eggs and bleeding very good were tagged and survived. It was actually an amazing study, they said some fish were pumping blood with every heartbeat and were found spawning later. Salmon, especially chinook are much hardier than you think

And the whole thing about popping off a big fish is just dumb. We fish for the challenge of landing a big fish on light gear, or hooking a fish on something they usually wont bite. Thats the fun in the sport. Like i said you can go out and get you limit and leave and purposefully break off anything in-between, thats fine with me, but your not a sport-fisherman

[Steelheadin360]

But remember, thousands of dollars that was spent on a study based with scientific facts is wrong if you don't agree with it.


trolls.....

[RiverChromeGS]

But remember, thousands of dollars that was spent on a study based with scientific facts is wrong if you don't agree with it.


trolls.....

These people are getting ridiculous. Considering not extending my sponsorship and getting away from it all. I havent made a comment or started a thread in months that wasnt trolled somehow

[Steelheadin360]

I think something needs to be done about the people that bring nothing but negativity to the site! I can name a handful of members that do nothing but b**** about other peoples posts

[natetreat]

Yep.

Post the pics again Danny, and let's get this thread back on track.

[RiverChromeGS]

Yep.

Post the pics again Danny, and let's get this thread back on track.

i think it may just be too late. Once the trolls read it, they will be all over it until she's locked down. But maybe try one more time...

Anyone been hooking anything else fishing for pinks? We keep hitting chinook on random gear. Got this big boy with a coho vibrax yesterday, i cant seem to hook my target species haha (probably should have just busted it off though right)

[natetreat]

Hell yea, that's a beast! I've been right on target, fishing for pinks and - lo and behold! Catching pinks. A few cookie cutter coho in the mix, the boat behind us today pulled in a fat chrome 10 pounder. They had me weigh it for them, it scaled out at 10.7. Seen a few schools come through too. I bet when the Snoho drops there will be quite a few stacking up around 522 and the Eddy. We'll see!

Oh, we've caught about a thousand sculpins on bait divers.

[RiverChromeGS]

Hell yea, that's a beast! I've been right on target, fishing for pinks and - lo and behold! Catching pinks. A few cookie cutter coho in the mix, the boat behind us today pulled in a fat chrome 10 pounder. They had me weigh it for them, it scaled out at 10.7. Seen a few schools come through too. I bet when the Snoho drops there will be quite a few stacking up around 522 and the Eddy. We'll see!

Oh, we've caught about a thousand sculpins on bait divers.

nice! good to hear coho reports, ive hit 3 on skagit so far and the drop might yield more fish. I cant wait for a full push of coho to blast up the systems! I saw Zack and oneshot Jonny got some nice coho as well recently. Theyre coming!

[fish vacuum]

Some people would break it off once they realized they were outgunned by a large, protected fish.
45 minutes is a long time.

[Steelheadin360]

Oh lordy. Here we go again.