by JD on February 2, 2012
OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG!
Well, sometimes you just need a little fish porn. And man, what a week it’s been for that! I probably should have saved this fish for last because it dwarfs the 20 pounders below, but holy giant rainbow trout, Batman…that is one amazing specimen is it not?
All I know about this leviathan is that it was caught last weekend and measured 44 inches by 24 inches, which using the steelhead weight formula, comes out at 32 freaking pounds! WOW!!!!! My jaw just hit the floor!
And, just for kicks, here are a couple other 20 plus pounders…
This one was taken by Paul LeFebvre of Brookings, OR. He caught and released the fish Feb. 1 on the Chetco River while fishing with guide Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing. The steelhead hit a cluster of roe and took a half hour to subdue!
Twenty plus pounds of Perfection!
Our pal Greg McElroy sent in this pic of Tim Obert who fished just south of the Chetco, on California’s Smith River with Mad River Eggs for this low 20′s buck.
Damn, raise your hand if you work day just got totally screwed…
Nobody will ever accuse “Pete” Schendel, twin brother of the April Hawg of of the Month winner, Brad Schendel, of getting overly excited when he catches a monster steelhead.
He caught this jumbo slab o’ steel on the Smith River in Nor Cal while fishing with guide Mike Stratman at the appropriately named Picnic Hole while eating a cold corndog. Here’s what his guide had to say:
“He never even stopped eating to land the damn thing,” said Stratman. “This kid lands so many huge steelhead, even a hawg like this one doesn’t do much for him. You can tell how unimpressed he is by the look on his face. It may take a lot to impress “Pete,” but I sure think its a dandy!”
A dandy, indeed…which begs the question: Why doesn’t this cat take up some other sport and leave these incredibly awesome gifts from the river to those of us who would appreciate them? Anyway, he’s entered into our Hawg of the Month Contest in which he has a shot to win some Pautzke’s head gear and maybe even a guided trip with Bill Swann of Swanny’s Fishing.
by JD on February 7, 2011
Big salmon like this Smith River king are great for the economies of coastal towns!
Hhey all you politicians that don’t give a rat’s arse about fish, it’s time take note: Healthy salmon runs are good for the economy. Need I break it down further? Okay, here’s one you might understand: Salmon = Money. Got it?
Read all about how the Smith River’s epic king run last fall provided the a good boost to several downtrodden economies of Northern California in the
WALL STREET JOURNAL Also, check out the cameo from our pal John Klar.
And for every one of you who benefited from the Smith’s kings (guides, tackle shops, gas stations, hotels and restaurants), it’s time to bust open the wallet and give a donation to the non-profit
Rowdy Creek Fish Hatchery…Without it, you’re probably out of a job!
by JD on January 25, 2011
Lower American River, near downtown Sacramento
Okay, I’ll admit it. I’m a sucker for a good sunset. And with my job, I’ve seen plenty of amazing ones…typically as we’re running back home to the dock or just as we get off the water. Here are a few of my faves…
[click to continue…] 
Klar (left) and Moore with a little New Year's Magic!
Talk about a way to get your year kick-started! Curtis Moore of Healdsburg, CA (fishing with guide
John Klar) just this morning, Jan. 4 at 9AM, caught and released this beautiful 20-pound wild steelhead in the Smith River.
Klar, via “boat phone,” said that they hooked the beast at the top of Jed Smith Park. “It was an epic fight,” say Klar. The fish jumped several times and just tore holes in the water.” You can tell what Klar was talking about when he called the fish “flawless.”
Moore hooked the big daddy on a peach Fish Pill, some orange yarn and a small cluster of eggs. Nice work!
by JD on December 23, 2010
The stage is now set for the 2010 Hawg Bowl! Dianne Mitchell jumped out to an early lead with her 30-pound Smith River Chinook in the Western Conference Finals and never relinquished hold of the top slot. Now, two unlikely contenders — Dianne and 9-year-old Ryan Yi — will collide in the Hawg Bowl, which kicks off Christmas Day.
Here’s a quick postmortem of the Western finals… [click to continue…]
by JD on December 1, 2010
Must have been the Wild Turkey...
In what started out as a pretty tight race, Mike Placencia and his “Hangover King” from the Smith River eventually pulled away from the pack (including the “Kayak King” which was a larger fish from the same drainage) to win the November Hawg of the Month vote by a pretty good margin. In doing so, he punched the final ticket to the Hawg Bowl Playoffs coming later this month.
To see how this month’s vote shaped up, read on… [click to continue…]
