steelhead

[Vince]

Originally Posted by ak_powder_monkey

This requires that everyone stops fishing for them, mostly those who kill them, also good habitat would help.

and wearing them down, on the lightest gear you got, causes NO stress or mortality?


dont get me wrong i fish too and i dont eat them all... i understand C&R just fine.

but this BS of purist mentality is whats WRONG.your way is not any better then his way.. it is all,just your perceptions of it.

[Bob Ball - Piscatorial Pursuits]

Originally Posted by Vince

the problem i have is i dont see any of the piscatorial purists parking their poles....

all these folks that are so against eating one of these fish... are still out casting for one.

you want to have them recover? STOP FISHING FOR THEM.. period. you know hunters do not harvest when game populations are low. they are out planting fields and clearing over brush making forage plots...

not roping them and giving it a kiss as they let it go again...

if catch and release is your thing GREAT... more power to you... you guys have no business harping on the catch and eat crowd.. none at all.

it comes across as they are not allowed to catch them... but i am not going to stop... what you do is a SPORT, Hobby, passion, for self gratifying enjoyment.

Ah, ah ... knew this would would be coming off of this forum.

I mentioned that the river had not made it's goal a number of the recent years. BUT, if sporties had released their share of fish (and even allowing a 10% mortality figure) ... the river would have made the MSY goal. Most recent studies show steelhead to be well below that number, regardless of gear type and / or bait usage.

Honestly, they're not he best eating anyhow

[fishook]

So if you can’t keep one legal you shouldn’t fish for them? If that was the case then there would be no SC steelhead fishing at all. I would not kill a wild steelhead off any stream/river system that had not made its escapement. I agree with DRIFTER the big boy taken on the Hoh river last year should have made it to the gravel to pass on its genetics.

Can anyone share some information steelhead fishing in Terrace BC on the Skeena River?

[DRIFTER_016]

Originally Posted by fishook

So if you can’t keep one legal you shouldn’t fish for them? If that was the case then there would be no SC steelhead fishing at all. I would not kill a wild steelhead off any stream/river system that had not made its escapement. I agree with DRIFTER the big boy taken on the Hoh river last year should have made it to the gravel to pass on its genetics.

Can anyone share some information steelhead fishing in Terrace BC on the Skeena River?

No Retention of Wild Steelhead
Single Barbless hooks only.

http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/fw/fish/reg...11_region6.pdf

[Bob Ball - Piscatorial Pursuits]

Originally Posted by fishook

So if you can’t keep one legal you shouldn’t fish for them? If that was the case then there would be no SC steelhead fishing at all. I would not kill a wild steelhead off any stream/river system that had not made its escapement. I agree with DRIFTER the big boy taken on the Hoh river last year should have made it to the gravel to pass on its genetics.

Can anyone share some information steelhead fishing in Terrace BC on the Skeena River?

I fish the Skeena tribs for 4-6 weeks each year on our way back down to our wintertime home/fishery ... feel free to PM with any ?'s.

[DRIFTER_016]

Originally Posted by Bob Ball - Piscatorial Pursuits

I fish the Skeena tribs for 4-6 weeks each year on our way back down to our wintertime home/fishery ... feel free to PM with any ?'s.

How can you afford to with the cost of non-resident licensing and classified waters permits for that period of time?

I will fish there eventually but the bulk will come after I retire to a nice little place in Smithers!!!!

[Vince]

WOW!!!!!

http://www.piscatorialpursuits.com/winsteelhead.htm

love the photos bob.

[Snagly]

On the Situk you can keep 1 fish 36" larger per day and a total of 2 per season. (This is from memory, but I doubt the rules have changed.)

Like the other posters, I'd rather eat a chrome red, silver or king than a steelhead. Coupled with a good rate of fish that survive spawning, return to the ocean and come back again for another go round I urge recreational fishermen looking for a feed to focus on salmon . . . or ocean fish.

[Skookumchuck]

A 36+ inch steelhead in SE AK is likely a 8 to 10 year old fish that has spawned 4 or more times already and is more than likely on it's last migration. You won't be depleting the gene pool if you harvest one, as they've already passed on more genetics than an average fish, which spawns only 1-3 times. I've never landed one that big that was bright enough to eat, but I'd bonk one if the oppertunity ever arose...

The seine and gillnet fleet take WAY more steelhead as incedentals in SE than sport fishermen harvest in a year.

[DRIFTER_016]

Originally Posted by Skookumchuck

The seine and gillnet fleet take WAY more steelhead as incedentals in SE than sport fishermen harvest in a year.

You're right on that part, that's why BC's steelhead are in trouble.
They let the salmon fleet fish out in front of the rivers, even when there are sure to be steelhead migrating with the salmon.

[whalebreath]

Steelhead aren't that great an eating fish IMO, they have a rank taste that doesn't sit well with me.

OK in a mild curry but that's about it.

[bigcox]

They looked pretty tasty when I saw them at the Pikes Market in Seattle...

Fish On!

[tillerdemon]

Originally Posted by Skookumchuck

A 36+ inch steelhead in SE AK is likely a 8 to 10 year old fish that has spawned 4 or more times already and is more than likely on it's last migration. You won't be depleting the gene pool if you harvest one, as they've already passed on more genetics than an average fish, which spawns only 1-3 times. I've never landed one that big that was bright enough to eat, but I'd bonk one if the oppertunity ever arose...

The seine and gillnet fleet take WAY more steelhead as incedentals in SE than sport fishermen harvest in a year.

I dont believe that your statement of a 36+ inch steelhead is a 4 time spawner, return Steelhead do not increase in size and in most cases will actual be thinner and no longer in length than their first time spawning.

[bigcox]

Originally Posted by tillerdemon

I dont believe that your statement of a 36+ inch steelhead is a 4 time spawner, return Steelhead do not increase in size and in most cases will actual be thinner and no longer in length than their first time spawning.

Hmm...interesting, do you have the facts to support your theory? That would be some good reading...

Fish On!

[Bob Ball - Piscatorial Pursuits]

Originally Posted by Skookumchuck

A 36+ inch steelhead in SE AK is likely a 8 to 10 year old fish that has spawned 4 or more times already and is more than likely on it's last migration. You won't be depleting the gene pool if you harvest one, as they've already passed on more genetics than an average fish, which spawns only 1-3 times. I've never landed one that big that was bright enough to eat, but I'd bonk one if the oppertunity ever arose...

The seine and gillnet fleet take WAY more steelhead as incedentals in SE than sport fishermen harvest in a year.

Have to agree on other's assesment of your biological facts ... I don't mean to sound condescending, but plain and simple, you're way off base. The biggest fish are predominently first-time spawners. Repeats generally only gain back at sea what they lost during their spawning run and come back with very little additional growth.

Even in the short run coastal streams, repeat percentages are much lower than most people realize. It's almost important to note that females that spawn more than once usually carry 20-25% more eggs than first-time spawners ... so they are an important part of the varied life history of the steelhead population. One of the "factoids" that separates steelhead from the salmon.

[ak_powder_monkey]

Bob, it is different here in Southeast Alaska than washinton, Skookumchucks understanding of the regulations is correct and based on good science. The fact is that because steelhead up here don't go to far up stream they have a much higher respawn rate than most other places. Its why there are a lot more really big fish than everywhere else. The fish simply do not loose their fat reserves on the spawning run where they are in freshwater for maybe a week.

Thats how I read the literature anyway.

[Bentbranch]

Bob's a fish ninja!

[Bob Ball - Piscatorial Pursuits]

Originally Posted by ak_powder_monkey

Bob, it is different here in Southeast Alaska than washinton, Skookumchucks understanding of the regulations is correct and based on good science. The fact is that because steelhead up here don't go to far up stream they have a much higher respawn rate than most other places. Its why there are a lot more really big fish than everywhere else. The fish simply do not loose their fat reserves on the spawning run where they are in freshwater for maybe a week.

Thats how I read the literature anyway.

The lit I've seen from the majority of the more northern reaches don't show massive changes in life history (all regions have some quirks). Repeat rates on the very short streams are higher than those fish having to go inland, but still not even getting close to 100%.

Many steelhead in WA also spawn just above tidewater and spend little time in the system. Naturally occurring respawn rates aren't too different than similar AK streams, but because, in part due to sport harvest and commerical in-river harvest that forces the repeat-capable fish to run the nets a minimum of three times (one up, down again, and up again). These repeat rates have dropped off over the years.

Lots of good info available online that covers nearly all of their range (even the Tijuana River where they once ranged). Do some digging

[Bob Ball - Piscatorial Pursuits]

A quick search to give some data you can look up:

Repeat spawning for Alaska steelhead has reportedly ranged from 11%-38% with an average between 25%-33% (Brookover and Harding 2003).

More specifics on the lit:

Harding, R., and T. Brookover. 2003. Southeast Alaska trout and steelhead management,
Report to the Alaska Board of Fisheries, Alaska Dept. of Fish & Game, Douglas.

[scott_rn]

I understand most of the reasons wild fish are better than hatchery fish, but if populations are not meeting goals, etc. why aren't there any hatchery raised steelhead in Alaska?