by JD on November 27, 2011
Yeaah!
The Trinity River in Northern California is known for good numbers of smaller steelies that typically run 6-7 pounds, but it can pump out much bigger ones now and then…like this 31-incher Tom McCoy of Walnut Creek hooked while flyfishing with an egg pattern.
McCoy’s buddy, Brad Harrington guessed it at around 15 pounds. “The fish was easily the biggest steelhead I’ve seen pulled out of the Trinity,” said Harrington. “We thought it was a big Chinook at first and were shocked when it went on a big run and showed it’s color.”
For his efforts, Tom is entered into our Hawg of the Month Contest and has a chance to win some
Pautzke’s headgear and, maybe just maybe, a trip for two with guide Bill “Swanny” Swann of
Swanny’s Fishing.
by JD on December 29, 2010
by JD on November 14, 2010
Trinity River king salmon don’t come much bigger (or darker) thank this 40-pound beast caught this fall by Dean McGrath…which just happens to be our most recent Smoker of the Year Contest entry.
While McGrath may not be the odd-on favorite for taking the Smoker crown this year, I’m thinking he should receive his fair share of first place votes. Not only is the size of the fish impressive, but he also mixed in some key elements that should impress the judges: Big kype, skinny flanks, rich brown color and, of course, lots of blood. Additionally, he gets bonus points for the camouflage hip boots…and what just may be a big ol’ dip in his lower lip. The only thing that could have made this shot better is maybe a Styrofoam nightcrawler cup and a couple empty Mickey’s Big Mouths bobbing around in the water behind him. Overall, very nice work indeed!
by JD on September 30, 2010
Apparently, all the effort was worth it!
Well, this month’s Hawg Contest shows that you, the voting public, appreciate a good fishing tale and some good old fashioned effort!
Chris Mayes’ Trinity River steelhead was the smallest fish entered (by far) in the September Hawg of the Month Contest, which featured an impressive list of big fish, yet it won by a landslide, earning 36% of the vote and trouncing even his closest competitor, Greg. M’s 30-plus pound striper (23.3% of the vote), which could have eaten Chris’ steelie. In fact, Chris’ steelie is the smallest-ever monthly winner in the history of the contest.
Apparently you guys loved the gripping tale of how Chris, despite the odds, bested this fish (click the link above to read the story)…and we think that’s pretty damn cool, too. For his efforts, Chris moves on to the Hawg Bowl Playoffs in late December and will compete for a free fishing trip with us. To enter your big fish, click
HERE. For the final results for all of the September entrants, read on…
[click to continue…]by JD on September 19, 2010
For awhile there, it was unclear who was going to emerge victorious...
Ok, so maybe Chris Mayes’ steelhead isn’t the biggest one ever pulled from the Trinity River, but it still deserves Hawg of the Month consideration because of the effort Chris put out to catch this thing!
Here, I’ll let Chris tell the story… [click to continue…]
by JD on January 20, 2010
Unnamed coho creek, Cordova, AK
Why do we fish? One of the big reasons for me is to have the opportunity to visit some of the amazing places that fish call home. Here’s a look at some of my favorites…
[click to continue…]
Okay, so most serious salmon and steelhead anglers have heard of Lewiston, Idaho, which is located at the confluence of two famous fishing rivers — the Snake and the Clearwater. But, a serious case for the California version of Lewiston as well.
Lewiston, CA is located smack dab in the epicenter of some of the Golden State’s most epic fishing. Atop the list is the nearby Trinity River which hosts some of the best salmon and steelhead fishing you’ll find anywhere. Additionally, Lewiston Lake harbors some very large trout and neighboring Trinity Lake is home to the West’s best smallmouth fishery.
Let’s take a closer look at this area and what it has to offer… [click to continue…]
Okay, so the bad news is we’ve got another summer and fall of sweeping salmon closures in California in 2009. But let’s look at the bright side…
Salmon aren’t totally off limits this year in the Golden State. Here’s a look at some of the highlights:
[click to continue…]
