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On Saturday I spent all day on the Sky fishing with a buddy and managed to break off my first stealhead at the knot on my fluorocarbon leader. I swore off flouro in August after having knot issues, but decided to give it another shot with the ultra-low and clear conditions. With Saturday’s fish it was the day’s first bobber down (at 1pm), and after hook-set the fish gave me 2-3 good head waggles before jumping out of the water to say goodbye and snap my leader. I was steaming. As soon as I got home I threw all my spools of flouro in the trash and lit it on fire.
Having the day off I headed back to the same spot this morning to exact revenge...ultragreen leaders in tow. I started centerpinning in December and have just about got my casting and line-mending dialed in. Where I was fishing was perfect for the setup, and allowed me to stand at the mouth of a creek and cast behind a big boulder where my float would dilly-dally for a minute before getting caught up in either the river current or the creek runoff current, carrying it 40-50 yards on those epic drifts that make centerpinning worth the learning curve. The float would drift perfectly along that edge between the slower and faster main current.
On drift number one I got bobber down at about 30 yards. I set the hook solidly, backed up while the fish was yanking down my rod and then snap…fish broke off. It wasn’t a knot this time but the barrel ant swivel connecting my shotline to the leader that broke. I about threw my rod/reel and myself into the river. I replaced the swivel, tied up jig number two for cast number two, and let the drift begin again. Sure enough bobber down and fish on at nearly 35 yards this time. Fish makes a wide run towards the heavier current in the middle of the river before deciding against it and coming almost directly at me, making what seems to be a break for the deep pool beside the mouth of the creek. I can’t reel fast enough, am basically running backwards across the creek to keep tension but the slack is too much and bye-bye steelhead.
Nothing about this is easy. And it’s 24 degrees outside. I take a couple deep breaths, cast away, and get bobber down again at almost the same spot. Hook is set and I waste no time getting my line in and myself to a spot on the bank where I can let the fish swing either way up or down river but can’t sprint 20 yards right at me again. I get it to the bank and believe what I’m looking at is a dark native hen. She was ugly and beat up but she was my first. I tailed her and get the jig out of its lip, snap a quick picture, give her some gentle time to recoup in the water and away she goes. I know it’s uncouth to be taking the wild fish out of the water, but I made sure she was all set to go before releasing her and our whole time together was less than a minute and probably close to thirty seconds. It was over quickly for both of us. I’m more worried about the two fish that are now swimming around with my broken-off jigs hanging out of their mouths. Regardless I am overwhelmingly relieved to have the skunk off and to have caught a steelhead before the season’s end.
There is one thing that has me scratching my head though, and I chalk it up to being a newcomer with dealing with fish in rivers rather than in the ocean or a lake. I’m a bit confused by how dark the steelhead was. It seems like the fish had been in the river a long time. Any chance it could be a summer run? Any chance it’s actually a booted out hatchery fish?? I didn’t weigh/measure her but I’m guessing she was about 4-5 pounds at the most and the adipose fin seemed intact, although I’ve seen fish with the tip just barely trimmed on them. Any input on that would be appreciated.

kevin14

1/21/2013 6:21:00 PM

It kinda looks like a beat up old salmon to me. Don't steelhead have a bit more color to them when they get ready to spawn that just looks like an old dark salmon to me. Thats pretty cool that you got a couple takedowns in the same general spot!

natetreat

1/21/2013 6:29:00 PM

That's a hen coho. There are a bunch of them in the the system right now, we'[ve been catching 10 or so a day at least. I bet there were about 30 fish sitting behind that boulder though. Steelhead like to sit behind the spawning silvers and eat their eggs though, so I wouldn't be surprised if you hooked a steelhead too. I love it, the centerpin shuffle back, I've seen a lot of guys do that before, it's a kick in the pants!

Steelheadin360

1/21/2013 7:14:00 PM

That would be a king, black gums, bronze back with those spots. but three fish hook up day up at rieter is a hot day considering the last few months. nice job!

RiverChromeGS

1/21/2013 7:32:00 PM

Thats definetely a hen coho like nate said. 0% chance its anything else

FishingThePacNW

1/21/2013 7:37:00 PM

No way its a king haha they run in late june, july, august, sept! So do you guys think there will be any more hos in the wallace this weekend? im still trying to get my coho count up to 5 im at 2, what should i use that will get me a coho?

FishingThePacNW

1/21/2013 7:39:00 PM

did you keep it?? it looks like its throat is slit?

TyeeMatt

1/21/2013 8:19:00 PM

Thanks for the help guys. It was an exciting morning after a long dry spell and the first fish landed with the new outfit. I didn't keep it, the fish swam away on her own power. I wasn't fishing at Reiter, but I did check out both sides after lunch and left after a short time. I pulled into the lot on the highway side around 7:30am and decided to head back downstream about a mile to avoid the crowds and fish where I'd hooked up on Saturday. It makes a lot of sense now that I know that it's a coho. I'm still learning and forums like this contribute a lot to that process. Thanks again

ilvcassidylake

1/21/2013 8:23:00 PM

steehead have flat tail, and coho have fork tail. its a steelhead. steelhead color will fade and get dark in the river if been too long. coho turned to redish color. and it looks like a wild steelhead

Brat Bonker

1/21/2013 9:41:00 PM

native coho, steelhead would not be that dark even if it was a summer run.

Metal

1/21/2013 11:48:00 PM

That looks like a chinook to me too. It wouldn't be too unbelievable either, I caught one in the low 20s that was covered in sea lice December 21 a few years ago on another system in western Washington.

tommyhydro

1/22/2013 7:16:00 PM

INPUT

#1: Don't admit to committing a F&G violation by going online and trying to rationalize why it was OK for you to beach a "native steelhead"
#2: it's a hen coho, buck coho turn red, hens just get dark.

Sixgill

1/22/2013 8:27:00 PM

It's a Coho, the forked tail is the biggest clue. Please keep fish, that are to be released, in the water!. That fish looked to be barely hanging on to start with. Sure she swam away, but it doesn't mean she lived to finish spawning..

Metal

1/22/2013 9:21:00 PM

That is a coho now that I see the sickle shaped anal fin. And you might want to worry about how to land a native fish before you focus on that center pin rod.

TyeeMatt

1/22/2013 9:59:00 PM

I look forward to gaining more experience landing fish legally and properly with the centerpin. Duly noted.

disamatic17

1/23/2013 9:07:00 AM

Why dont these people that are worried about how you handle a fish keep there mouths shut! I am sure every fish they have landed has been by the book and to perfection-not. Its glad to see that you are enjoying your new rod and improving your skills, keep up the good work and don't worry about the cry babies....boo hoo...

Snoop

1/23/2013 3:53:00 PM

To all the complainers..So if the consensus is that it is a coho, then what violation happened? Native coho retention was legal while salmon fishing was open on the sky. If keeping a Native fish was legal, what was wrong with him taking it out of the water? Obviously its best not to, but I wouldnt think the rule would be as strict with a fish that would be allowed to be kept if the season was open.

Shad_Eating_Grin

1/23/2013 4:56:00 PM

Looks like Snoop has to re-read the rule book. LOL

TyeeMatt

1/23/2013 5:11:00 PM

“It is unlawful to totally remove salmon, steelhead, or Dolly Varden/Bull Trout from the water if it is unlawful to retain those fish, or if the angler subsequently releases the salmon, steelhead, Dolly Varden/Bull Trout.” Which to me means any well-meaning "catch & release" fisherman who has taken a salmon, steelhead, or Dolly Varden/Bull Trout out of the water for a picture is breaking the rules.

Metal

1/23/2013 9:49:00 PM

Right on Matt it takes a man to admit to his mistake. Keep on getting better at what you're doing man.

Sixgill

1/23/2013 10:54:00 PM

Way to take responsibility TyeeMatt. If any of that fluorocarbon survived I'll gladly take it off your hands.

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