Steelhead

[RoeBoat]

Good looking guy there roeboat....ha

Ya, I thought I explained myself well enough!  There's no way I'm posting a pic of mine to "clear things up"!!!

Nice fish FWW!!!!

[ftwwalleye]

Ha. My lucky streak ended. 10 trips steelheading without getting skunked ended yesterday. I went to mishawka. Lost a nice one but popped the hook. Tried to walk back to bank from middle of the joseph.

[RoeBoat]

That stinks.  I'd say that was a pretty good streak!

[FishKing83]

Did someone say STEELHEAD? .  Been working 7 days a week and 70+ hours and work decided to give me a day off at the last minute.  Rushed around and got everything for the boat ready and made the most of it.  Felt amazing to be back on the river battling the hardest fighting fish that swims.  People say smallies fight but there is no comparison.  Caught plenty of smallies and never had one take 60 feet of line in one run in about 2.5 seconds like happened the other day.  Pictures are from a 6 fish limit my buddy and I caught at Berrien Springs.  Spawn was king but we did get 1 bite on a plug.  Last picture is of my 10 month old son trying to understand the spawn smell.  I'm teaching him early and by this fall he will be walking spawn with me up in Berrien Springs for Kings and Steelies.  

[RoeBoat]

Nice limit of fish!

[natahka72]

SWEET!!!      (Got your Kamiks on?)

[ftwwalleye]

Nice king. I agree. Best fresh water fight! 6 to 8 lb leader on a fly rod....can't beat it. Roe saw how hard I had to work to land one on the fly rod. Sallie are fun but are not even close

[IcEmAn...24/7]

That male is colored up nice!

[Get_the_Net]

Nice king. I agree. Best fresh water fight! 6 to 8 lb leader on a fly rod....can't beat it. Roe saw how hard I had to work to land one on the fly rod. Sallie are fun but are not even close

Looks like someone on the forum already had this discussion.  Interesting to read the different thoughts, but by far more people mention SM than any other in this thread but opinions are all over the place.

http://www.myfishfinder.com/fishing_forum/index.php?topic=5656.0

If you match your tackle to the avg size of the fish you are targeting opinions will differ from SM to kings, to carp and catfish and gills.  Fish with 2-3 lb line (size of a decent river SM just like 6-8lb line is the size of a decent SH) on a properly weighted fly rod for SM and battle a 2-3 lb SM in the same current you are fishing for SH  in, and they will give you as much or more of a fight as a SH.  SM don't ever give up.  You won't land many 3lb SM in a river current with 3 lb line without one heck of a battle.  Anyone can drag a fish in when fishing with line 2 to 3 times the avg size of the fish you are catching, like most do when bass fishing with 8-10lb line.   Heck most bluegills around 9 inches are near half a pound.  You don't see many people fishing for them with that light of line because there is a good chance they will break it, and most are not fishing for gills for fun. 

[FishKing83]

Looks like someone on the forum already had this discussion.  Interesting to read the different thoughts, but by far more people mention SM than any other in this thread but opinions are all over the place.

http://www.myfishfinder.com/fishing_forum/index.php?topic=5656.0

If you match your tackle to the avg size of the fish you are targeting opinions will differ from SM to kings, to carp and catfish and gills.  Fish with 2-3 lb line (size of a decent river SM just like 6-8lb line is the size of a decent SH) on a properly weighted fly rod for SM and battle a 2-3 lb SM in the same current you are fishing for SH  in, and they will give you as much or more of a fight as a SH.  SM don't ever give up.  You won't land many 3lb SM in a river current with 3 lb line without one heck of a battle.  Anyone can drag a fish in when fishing with line 2 to 3 times the avg size of the fish you are catching, like most do when bass fishing with 8-10lb line.   Heck most bluegills around 9 inches are near half a pound.  You don't see many people fishing for them with that light of line because there is a good chance they will break it, and most are not fishing for gills for fun. 

Nobody fishes smallies on 2-3 lb test???  Guys are using the same lb test line for smallies as most are using for steelies.  Either way no way a smallie pulls a 1/10 of what a steelhead does.

[FishKing83]

Catching 20+ lb kings and 10+ lb steelies on 6-8 lb test is common but nobody is using 2 lb test for 4-5 lb smallies which aren't common.  Most bass guys are fishing for $$$ anyways and use line 2X the size line of the biggest fish they plan on catching and skiing them across the surface anyways.

[vexologist]

Looks like someone on the forum already had this discussion.  Interesting to read the different thoughts, but by far more people mention SM than any other in this thread but opinions are all over the place.

http://www.myfishfinder.com/fishing_forum/index.php?topic=5656.0

If you match your tackle to the avg size of the fish you are targeting opinions will differ from SM to kings, to carp and catfish and gills.  Fish with 2-3 lb line (size of a decent river SM just like 6-8lb line is the size of a decent SH) on a properly weighted fly rod for SM and battle a 2-3 lb SM in the same current you are fishing for SH  in, and they will give you as much or more of a fight as a SH.  SM don't ever give up.  You won't land many 3lb SM in a river current with 3 lb line without one heck of a battle.  Anyone can drag a fish in when fishing with line 2 to 3 times the avg size of the fish you are catching, like most do when bass fishing with 8-10lb line.   Heck most bluegills around 9 inches are near half a pound.  You don't see many people fishing for them with that light of line because there is a good chance they will break it, and most are not fishing for gills for fun. 

Very interesting post, I'd have to agree that SM is a strong fighter but as the context of the thread that was referred to was matter of personal opinion and the area/local in which many of the stated posters live and fish species targeted/available in that local. But based on pure scientific study and fact the steelhead pound for pound is rated amoung the top 10 fastest freshwater fish...
 
"The Steelhead trout(Oncorhynchus mykiss) rates as the ninth fastest fish in the world, the highest ranking for any freshwater fish. The tenth spot is taken by the Sacramento Pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus grandis) but, with respective speeds of 8.0 and 6.7 metres per second, there is quite some difference between the two. OK - compared to the Black Marlin, which heads up the list at 36.1 metres per second, neither gets a look in when it comes to open ocean races but, still, this is a title that must have sporting implications.

Remembering basic physics, speed is a product of power relative to mass. The more powerful the engine the faster the car. A faster fish must therefore be one that is stronger (more muscular) and one that presumably fights harder too."

Just thought I'd share that factual info but it's agreed that everyone has the favorite fish and for good reason too. Whether it be SM or SH both definitely get the adrenaline pumpin!!! Tight lines guys!!

[Get_the_Net]

Nobody fishes smallies on 2-3 lb test???  Guys are using the same lb test line for smallies as most are using for steelies.

Catching 20+ lb kings and 10+ lb steelies on 6-8 lb test is common but nobody is using 2 lb test for 4-5 lb smallies which aren't common.  Most bass guys are fishing for $$$ anyways and use line 2X the size line of the biggest fish they plan on catching and skiing them across the surface anyways.

Exactly...you helped make my point for me.  4-5 lb SM are not common in IN, but there are plenty of places where they are common and you don't find anyone using line less than 6lb when fishing for them.  Most are using 8-10 lb line.  People fish for SM with line two to three times the size of the average fish caught.  They do that because of how hard they fight.  Tournament or not most don't feel like losing fish due to break offs.  If you want to fish with lighter line then you better loosen your drag way up and let them run like like when a SH or King takes a fly, lure or bait.  You aren't stopping a 10+ lb SH on 6-8 LB line without a long rod and some drag.  Same applies to a SM if people actually tried to catch them with line nearly half the lb test rating as their actual weight vs line 2 to 3 times the size of the fish they catch, which is what most use.

[Get_the_Net]

Very interesting post, I'd have to agree that SM is a strong fighter but as the context of the thread that was referred to was matter of personal opinion and the area/local in which many of the stated posters live and fish species targeted/available in that local. But based on pure scientific study and fact the steelhead pound for pound is rated amoung the top 10 fastest freshwater fish...
 
"The Steelhead trout(Oncorhynchus mykiss) rates as the ninth fastest fish in the world, the highest ranking for any freshwater fish. The tenth spot is taken by the Sacramento Pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus grandis) but, with respective speeds of 8.0 and 6.7 metres per second, there is quite some difference between the two. OK - compared to the Black Marlin, which heads up the list at 36.1 metres per second, neither gets a look in when it comes to open ocean races but, still, this is a title that must have sporting implications.

Remembering basic physics, speed is a product of power relative to mass. The more powerful the engine the faster the car. A faster fish must therefore be one that is stronger (more muscular) and one that presumably fights harder too."

Just thought I'd share that factual info but it's agreed that everyone has the favorite fish and for good reason too. Whether it be SM or SH both definitely get the adrenaline pumpin!!! Tight lines guys!!

One thing a SH, King and SM and carp all have in common is a very large tail in relation to their body.  They all get their speed and power from it.   To me the overall fight is about more than just how fast a fish can swim in a straight line, although that is definitely a factor.    Also, impossible to compare species if you are not going pound for pound, which in most cases you can't due to avg and max sizes between species.  I have never caught a 3 lb SH but I wouldn't imagine it would put up much of a fight just like a hammer handle pike doesn't.  Not really fair to compare a 3lb SH to a 3lb SM because the 3 lb SM is probably 5+ years old and the SH is probably 1 yr.  Simple physics says it is harder to reel in a 10lb brick than a 4 lb brick when all other factors are equal.  It is a moot point to compare a 9-10lb SH to a 4 lb SM.  Just like with a brick, weight alone will make the larger fish harder to bring in assuming all other factors are equal.   

[Tuna83]

You want a good fight? Do what I do and cast for musky with a 7' medium baitcaster and 8lb diameter 30lb test and a 3/8-1/2oz spinner bait. Hook into a 40+ incher and you aren't gonna find a harder fight. Huge head shakes and pulls like a tank. I've caught many nice SM and SH but I'll take the muskies any day