2025 Steelhead Show OFF

[jamisonace]

Started the year off right with a PB steelhead for my boat.

We decided to launch a little late because heavy rain was expected early. Got to the launch and there was already a boat fishing my river.....the nerve! Seriously tho, the water was pretty high so I wasn't expecting anyone to be there. It's only a slight problem because you can only fish a small portion of the river in high water so we had to try to stay out of each other's way. We hooked fish throughout the day and ended up with a PB. Great start to the year and the conditions seem to be looking great over the next couple weeks.

I added our small fish pic because I found the size difference hilarious.

Happy New Year and may you all catch PBs in 2025!

 

[C_Run]

Way to get things started. I'm thinking about going.

 

[jamisonace]

Way to get things started. I'm thinking about going.

If you're through Roseburg this season, let's fish.

 

[Admin]

You are again the first one. )

 

[Fishonshawn84]

Best steelhead I've caught in a long time and one of my biggest winters.

 

[jamisonace]

Best steelhead I've caught in a long time and one of my biggest winters.

Nice work! What a beautiful fish. I wish my river had a hatchery run. I have one close but with all this rain it won't fish for awhile.

 

[Fishonshawn84]

Nice work! What a beautiful fish. I wish my river had a hatchery run. I have one close but with all this rain it won't fish for awhile.

Yeah but if I was catching fish like the one in your photo above I wouldn't care if they were all natives! That's a monster steelhead. The fish i got is definitely a byproduct of the broodstock program on my home river. Ive been hearing of a few more decent fish the last several years but most are still brat sized. I caught one new years day(2 days before that fish above) and it weighed half of what the fish above weighed. Hopefully I can find a few more big fish this year.

 

[Dcandyman1]

Dang those are my dreams. I can remember back to when I fished quite a bit. Through out the years raising kids involved in sports year round and the fact all of my fishing friends gave it up during the real down years , I miss it and appreciate seeing people enjoying a great past time.
Beautiful fish

 

[jamisonace]

My buddy sunk his boat yesterday so we found it this afternoon and made a recovery plan. After that we had time for a couple passes and found one spicy Steelhead.

 

[Dcandyman1]

Sorry about the boat , but glad you got it and the steahead. Nice chrome

 

[Fishonshawn84]

That sucks about the boat. Is there a story about it or a lesson to be learned? Asking for a hopefully soon to be boat owner (at least by next year)....

 

[jamisonace]

That sucks about the boat. Is there a story about it or a lesson to be learned? Asking for a hopefully soon to be boat owner (at least by next year)....

Not much of a story. High water and the motor didn't start right above some willows. The boat got hung up and took on water. The crew bailed out but was rescued quickly and everyone was fine. I wasn't there so I'm sure it was more dramatic to those involved.

 

[Fishonshawn84]

Great morning! Found a spot i like that was unoccupied. That's task 1 in itself now days. First cast and my bobber went down but it popped up right before I was about to swing. I knew it was a fish though and on my 3rd cast it took it again. Nice little bright native hen and I let her go. Only about 6lbs. About 15 mins later I switched to my spinner rod and first cast hooked into a nice big bright hen. She was a pain and had me in all sorts trouble. I was fishing a tail out and the river curves 90° to my side of the bank but it narrows as it turns and has big swells and the bank is kinda washed right there and it's just a huge log and stick pile. No way to follow the fish!!! And of course she starts heading down slowly. I got my rod in the water just trying like hell to get her to turn and come back but she's splashing in the waves now and I knew I was in trouble. I got her surfing the waves quite a bit but everytime I gained 10ft back on her shed go back down 11ft. I could barley see around the corner as she was splashing right in the sticks and stuff on the bank and I was out in thigh deep fast water doing all I could to push my rod out to try to get her away from the sticks. Then she found a patch of grass under the water and would nose right up to it and basically wedge herself against it. Id have to walk down as much as I could and when she'd come out I'd slowly walk back up river and we'd start over. This went on for about 15-20 minutes. I run 10lb straight mono on my spinner rod and I just knew my spinner and the fish would soon be gone. If we kept up with this game she was gona continue working her way down and I'd lose her anyways so I finally grabbed the reel and slowly walked back up further hoping the stretch in the line would help. My lower back was absolutely screaming at me. Sure enough she finally came up slowly and by the time I got her to the little rocky area to land her she was done. Bonk, bled, tagged. Then I went to cut some line off and retie my spinner on and that's when I really saw just how close I was to losing her. Hook is a 1/0 or 2/0 mustad siwash... anyways shortly after that I switched back to my bobber rod and landed another small hatchery buck. Not as big or bright as the lady but my back was done for. So 3 for 3 in around an hour. Can't be mad at that. I look grumpy in the photo, I'm not, just tired, worn out and sore.

 

[jamisonace]

That face looks satisfied, not grumpy. Awesome story. I'm so jealous of those hatchery fish. I'm expecting the South Umpqua to clear up by my house next week so maybe I'll get lucky there.

We got another this morning before work that pulled us down a few holes before giving up; no pic, just a really fun fight, and a good memory.

 

[Fishonshawn84]

One more today in the rain. Another nice winter fish. That's 3 this year that are bigger than any other winter fish I've caught in 10years or so. Usually I get the typical 26"-29" 5-8lb fish. This one was almost 32". Big fat hen with really big egg skeins. Not as dramatic as a fight as the one yesterday but she did get into some grass down and across the river from me. Thought she had me snagged up. But I was able to go down and pull on her from a different direction and got her out of it. Another spinner fish. Same spinner. New hook of course.

 

[Lmt ur kill]

My buddy sunk his boat yesterday so we found it this afternoon and made a recovery plan. After that we had time for a couple passes and found one spicy Steelhead.

Nice fish. Bummer about the boat where that happen at so the rest of us don’t do it lol

 

[jamisonace]

Nice fish. Bummer about the boat where that happen at so the rest of us don’t do it lol

It could happen anywhere if you're motor doesn't start. The water was high and pushing hard. The Umpqua system is super technical and has tons of willows and rocks that can sink a boat but every river I've been on can sink a boat in that situation.

 

[Lmt ur kill]

It could happen anywhere if you're motor doesn't start. The water was high and pushing hard. The Umpqua system is super technical and has tons of willows and rocks that can sink a boat but every river I've been on can sink a boat in that situation.

Yes, in that situation is could be on any river. I was just wondering if it was an obstacle. I’ve been on a boat that sunk once in 2 feet of water. Had to leave it there go home and get it a hand with to get it out.

 

[jamisonace]

Yes, in that situation is could be on any river. I was just wondering if it was an obstacle. I’ve been on a boat that sunk once in 2 feet of water. Had to leave it there go home and get it a hand with to get it out.

I was in a boat that sunk on an innocent looking branch. It's pretty crazy how easy it can happen.

 

[Lmt ur kill]

I was in a boat that sunk on an innocent looking branch. It's pretty crazy how easy it can happen.

On a good note, I managed to find a nice one yesterday