What it's all about

[Derrick-k]

Even 50 years ago a 20lber was rare I know someone who is 60 now and was born and bred to fish for steelhead, he is a true river rat, and the biggest steelhead he ever caught was 24lbs and that was back in the day.

When you say common how common do you mean?

Aren't the fish in the Clearwater really dark though?

[fish4brains]

The Clearwater is a phenomenon all to itself in regards to big steelhead. By common I mean that on any given day you have a chance of catching one. I have 4 buddies who between them have caught 6 just over 20. They are core and fish at least 1 day a week if not 2 or 3. I have only been able to get down 3 times this year and the biggest I have caught is 16lbs, smallest was 12.5. Guides seem to average at least 6-8 or more a season per boat. I grew up fishing the coastal rivers of Northern Cali. and Southern Oregon and they pale in comparison as to fish size as the Clearwater. Read up on the river and you will find that the Clearwater is king for Huge steelhead. Not bragging just sayin. Any steelhead over 10 is a hog in my book.

[A9]

Most hatchery produced fish (not triploid trout) never achieve a huge size as any wild fish might. It's rare to hear hatchery steelhead in excess of 20 lbs and hatchery salmon usually don't get to the size of some wild fish....

You must have never fished the Clearwater river where hatch. fish over 20 are fairly common. They had a 40+ pounder show up at the hatchery in Orofino this year. They took it down river 40 miles and released it hoping someone would catch it and break the record but a few days later it showed back up.

I meant taking fish in the Puget Sound system...It looks as if the Clearwater river flows into the snake which flows into the Columbia...Different ballgame on the CR then the Puget Sound...

[fish4brains]

Gotcha Sam. I thought you were generalizing. You are correct on the flow series. If you ever get this way holler.

[A9]

Gotcha Sam. I thought you were generalizing. You are correct on the flow series. If you ever get this way holler.

Occasionally I find myself in Idaho and eastern Washington...And I'm always looking to fish however...

[gpc]

Derrick, you are the man. Nice fish bro. Dont worry, they aint made of glass, they wont break. Those fish are almost bullet proof. Drag screamen and sore lipped fish = good weekend.

[M_ray]

Not to burst any one's bubble here but I've seen allot of 18 pounders get called 20 pounders in my life!
And I have a lot of very good friends that live on the Clearwater and they are fishn fools and they arent dragging in 20 pounders at the rate some suggest here. You are correct they did have a 40 last year (that wasn't caught) but everybody wasn't nailing 20 twenty pounders.

I'll agree with Derrick on this one! BTW a banner day you had on the river there ... good job!

[kuttkilla]

Derrick-k had an excellent day on the water. Looks absolutely amazing...gorgeous fish!

[Derrick-k]

Not to burst any one's bubble here but I've seen allot of 18 pounders get called 20 pounders in my life!
And I have a lot of very good friends that live on the Clearwater and they are fishn fools and they arent dragging in 20 pounders at the rate some suggest here. You are correct they did have a 40 last year (that wasn't caught) but everybody wasn't nailing 20 twenty pounders.

I'll agree with Derrick on this one! BTW a banner day you had on the river there ... good job!

Usually anything in the teens runs me into a log quickly so it was nice to go 3/3 on the hhokups that day

By the way I have believe it or not I've seen 2lbers called 10lbers.

I can't ever see myself fishing the clearwater the fish there are so..... dark.