[mavsled]

Thanks to the 2 guys in the white drift boat, Green-blu stripe who were fishing just above the mouth of the Raging river at 1:30 pm today on the Snoqualmie river at Fall City.

These guys hook a native steelie-mid teen lbs, net it (fish goes nuts in the net) and proceed to bring it (still writhing in the net) into the Drift boat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Where upon they take pics, give each other high fives and then release the chrome steelie back into the river some 5+ minutes later!!!! Hooked the fish pulling plugs in the slot just above the Raging river mouth, they anchor to land it instead of rowing across the river into the soft water to CnR.

sorry fellas, I had to rant at such an absurd behavior of improper CnR, my first hand observance of these 2 happy, high fiving steelhead "anglers" while on a short drive in sunny weather away from the office. I hope they post their success & pics today somewhere on a internet board and then I will respond wholeheartedly!

 

[mavsled]

Good thing they didn't bonk it. I'd have skipped the office for the rest of the day and; take cell pics, find their vehicle-Lic plate #, take more pics of their rig and turn them in to the WDFW.

<edit> I forgot to mention, you could hear the thumping sound around in the boat that the fish made as they high fived! At first, I thought my 10x42 Swarovski's deceived me and maybe it was a hatchery chrome fish. But second look thru the optics with the fish at the side of the boat on the release several minutes later revealed the unmistakable high dorsal and more...the intact adipose.

 

[steelyden]

just ruining it for the rest of us. someday, that river will close in January and that will be that. It's too bad a couple _uck ups like those two guys can have an impact on the entire fishery.

 

[RiverFishin]

That can ruin an otherwise nice day :evil:

 

[powder]

There's guys like that on every river. They'll get theirs. That's when you go and hide in the bushes and start throwing rocks.

 

[gonefishin]

Damn it, Jim!!!

 

[Trapper350]

It happens alot out here. How come you didnt call the warden or better yet, let them know how that kind of action affects the steelie? I know I would have.

 

[mavsled]

Unbeknownst to me, a good friend was fishing at the mouth of the Raging at this time. If lucky and his pics turn out, I'll try to post. He too was astounded that these 2 fishers would do something so ridiculously illegal and close to several easy observation points, especially directly across & slightly downstream from the WDFW access launch.

Shocked that they lifted the net with the fish into the boat, He also heard the fish thumping around on the bottom of the DB from 30 yards away. More shocking to him was the fish scales that washed downriver past him! He assumed the scales got knocked off the steelie as it struggled in the net. These 2 anglers in the DB took longer to release the steelie than it took to reel it to the net.
He says they were lucky no enforcement was present.

 

[moravec]

Where's a gamie when you need one...unfortunately there's always someone on the river who just doesn't know or doesn't have a clue...

Aside from the gomer's-on-the-river... what was the Snoqualmie report?

 

[STEELIE ADDICT]

Morons. I hooked a nate on the Sno Saturday morning and we didn't even touch it to release it. We brought it along side the boat, there was nowhere to pull over to fight it, snapped a quick picture and off it went without ever being touched or in the net. It is easy to do if you try and you have any respect for the fish. Unfortunately, some people don't care.

 

[gear addict]

Most times..I don't even bother with a picture. Just get them pointed the right direction, and get that good splash of water in the face as they get back out were they belong.

 

[STEELIE ADDICT]

Me too, my buddy just happened to get a shot as he was reaching down to de-hook it. Usually, I just end up with a story to show for it, but that is way better than a dead native steelhead.

 

[The_Rook]

I am just wondering how you can tell a Native from 30 yards away? Is that what is in the rivers now? I honestley dont know...

 

[TRAUT]

I am just wondering how you can tell a Native from 30 yards away? Is that what is in the rivers now? I honestley dont know...

To help answer your question, here's what Mavsled said in a post above -

At first, I thought my 10x42 Swarovski's deceived me and maybe it was a hatchery chrome fish. But second look thru the optics with the fish at the side of the boat on the release several minutes later revealed the unmistakable high dorsal and more...the intact adipose.

I'll take Mavsled at his word anyday , based on his experience and reputation, but the observation through binoculars clinched the deal.

While proof reading my response it seems a little critical of Rook, and I hope it's not taken that way. I'm just trying to answer his legitimate question, but can't quite get the words down so it sounds right.

 

[powder]

Saw a dead 12-15 lb native on the shore of the Green today. River wasn't the cause. Tdown:

 

[The_Rook]

I am just wondering how you can tell a Native from 30 yards away? Is that what is in the rivers now? I honestley dont know...

To help answer your question, here's what Mavsled said in a post above -

At first, I thought my 10x42 Swarovski's deceived me and maybe it was a hatchery chrome fish. But second look thru the optics with the fish at the side of the boat on the release several minutes later revealed the unmistakable high dorsal and more...the intact adipose.

I'll take Mavsled at his word anyday , based on his experience and reputation, but the observation through binoculars clinched the deal.

While proof reading my response it seems a little critical of Rook, and I hope it's not taken that way. I'm just trying to answer his legitimate question, but can't quite get the words down so it sounds right.

I must have a case of the Mondays on a Tuesday because I didnt see that part about the binocs. Understand now. Thanks TRAUT. I don't fish steelies much so I don't know much of whats in the rivers and when. Thanks for pointing out the obvious for me. clown:

 

[eggster]

I am just wondering how you can tell a Native from 30 yards away? Is that what is in the rivers now? I honestley dont know...

we caught a native on the satsop about 9#lbs on saturday and its adipose was probably 1.5 inches high. you get a native in the teens and there adipose will be really noticeable from pretty far off, especially with a pair of swarovski's. when we got ours in the net it was a total of 5 seconds between unhooking it and letting it go,and we made sure, as always,that it never left the water.keeping a fish in the bottom of the boat for 5 minutes that has to be released is pure stupidity, let alone letting it thump the bottom of your boat. that's how they wind up dead. take a look at powders response, probably about the same scenario. sick:

 

[O. mykiss]

I was able to release a few nates from the OP this weekend and not one of them touched a net. No matter where hooked we rowed to the nearest bank, properly tailed them, while not once lifted out of the water. Were able to snap some quick pics and sent them on their way unharmed, its sad to see all the morons these days. I watched a guy drop a 20lb+ nate on a gravel bar on the Humptulips once, while spending over 5min for a lousy pic.