Big river trout

[JonT]

I went to the alsea today and fly fished the boat ramps and ocassionally waded out in my boots and hammered the red band trout and some native rainbows none over 6 inches tho very frustrating to say the least

Those are SMOLTS and you shouldn't be targeting them. They are juvenile salmon and steelhead. They are trying to get to the ocean so they can grow big and return to spawn as adults. They have enough adversity as it is without people trying to catch them. Please leave them alone.

 

[Jdangler xD]

Caught 2 brooders in a stream about a week apart. Anyways the biggest trout I've seen in oregon have come out of the metolius River or the deschutes. And there is one secret stretch that produces footballs. (My buddy caught 3 of the biggest rainbows I've ever seen around burns oregon) and lakes hold them, indont
much fish them except wickiup. Monster Browns on a fly rod. Good luck hog hunting and remember to release those metolius fish haha

 

[sapo]

Ya the metolius and the deschutes have big ones..the lower deschutes has some big ones and if you can get access, like 10 ish miles above maupin theres some monsters.

Ya kingfish you probably didn't know they were smolts so that's fine, but try not to target them again

 

[fishfry]

I'd say the Williamson river for a large\huge native redband.

 

[Gary W]

The state game warden does not permit keeping foul hooked game fish regardless if they turn upside down. I would not take the chance just because they were bleeders. That is the reason I quit fishing the river after I got my first two silvers while the river was full of them last month. I don't trust myself to get a deep hook out without damaging the fish. I do not feel good about leaving a hook in the fish either.

 

[sapo]

U sure you're responding to the right thread gary?

 

[Gary W]

(When it comes to native river trout, I release them. Occasionally, I'll catch a sea-run cutt that gets hooked in the gill or eye, and is a "bleeder." Those come home with me (in season, of course).) Sapo this is what I was talking about

 

[sapo]

Oh I see, thanks! I had thought that you could keep a fish from the gills forward..I could be wrong though. Either way, it's stupid if you can't keep fish hooked in the eye, gills, etc. if it's bleeding a lot because chances are it would die anyway..keeping a bleeding fish is pretty much not wasting it.

 

[rogerdodger]

Oh I see, thanks! I had thought that you could keep a fish from the gills forward..I could be wrong though. Either way, it's stupid if you can't keep fish hooked in the eye, gills, etc. if it's bleeding a lot because chances are it would die anyway..keeping a bleeding fish is pretty much not wasting it.

Washington is something like 'gills forward'...Oregon is "Unlawful to: 3. Take game fish other than those hooked inside the mouth;", page 9.

 

[Fishnbuck]

I maybe wrong, but I believe the Doc meant a legally (mouth hooked) fish, that had the misfortune of the hook penetrating through the head into an eye, or the gills from inside the mouth. Have had this a few times now, which is disappointing, because I prefer C&R, especially trout.