Northwest Fishing Reports

Hey Guys!

Just wanted to start a fun thread where everyone could boast a little. What is the largest fish you all have landed in freshwater?

I caught a 12 foot sturgeon in the Hanford Reach on a medium-heavy salmon rod, 20lb test, and about six nightcrawlers soaked in butt juice. Little over 1-1/2 hours and a mile of river in the to touch the leader. Broke the rod and tried to lead the fish to shore for pictures. He had other ideas, 3 head shakes with too tight a line and goodbye! Was a little scary in a 14 foot Smokercraft. Arms still hurt when I think of it! Good pain though.

I caught a whale once. Out in the Atlantic ocean. It was too far away to see in the picture, but it was there somewhere. No I didn't have a fishing rod and wasn't fishing, just caught it with the camera. I was in the Navy.

Ok, ok, fishing, 10 pound Largemouth Bass. 10 pound line, crankbait, Lake Sawyer, May 1994. I think the sea bass I caught off the pier in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba was bigger, but not sure. Didn't have a scale and I gave it to a native on the U.S.Naval Base, I was in the Navy.

Whoops, forgot about the 12 pound carp on Potholes on a spinnerbait during a Bass tourney.

It was a big sturgeon, but they shouldn't count. Otherwise it would be a big native king that I caught in the tilton, no poundage or length, but I got a picture.

natetreat wrote:It was a big sturgeon, but they shouldn't count. Otherwise it would be a big native king that I caught in the tilton, no poundage or length, but I got a picture.

Lets see that picture!

17 pound king, in the Wallace while fishing for silvers. It was caught on a yellow bucktail jig, under of bobber. And I caught it on 10lb Maxima Ultragreen. Damn good line!

If were talking river too, a 28lb king salmon. Non rivers, a 9lb large mouth! Or maybe some carp.

oh this is fun to share!!

freshwater? 15lb Coho.. got me Mr September spread (no Sh*t) in the Atlas and a cover shot.. that's me with the bottom Coho..

I had the magazine guys send me high rez file and its framed at home..




P.S. i caught a couple kings in the snoho i never took out of water to weigh guessing close to 20lbs (i'm rookie when it comes to kings), and one chum i got last yr was 18.9

fear_no_fish wrote:

natetreat wrote:It was a big sturgeon, but they shouldn't count. Otherwise it would be a big native king that I caught in the tilton, no poundage or length, but I got a picture.

Lets see that picture!

It looks a lot smaller than it actually was because of the foreshortening caused by the angle I had him at. He was a native, couldn't take him out of the water.

Upper 30s King for fresh water. In the salt, it was a salmon shark. Both in AK. In WA, low 30s King.

Lets see there was a 26 lb cat out of the snake when I was 16 on trout gear, a fish I will never ever forget and a mid 20's king when I was 12, I didnt know it at the time because it was my first salmon but that thing was a serious boot, I carried it home for about 5 miles. As soon as I walked thru the door the old man patted me on the head and then promptly kicked me in my ass and told me to go bury it in the garden. The thing was dang near as long as I was tall. Man I thought he was a prick then, didnt take long to understand his reasoning once I was able to get into brighter fish. Man do I miss the Umpqua.

Picked up a 32 pound lobster from the fantail of the ship (USS Camden AOE-2) while anchored in the lagoon at Deigo Garcia Indian Ocean back in 1988. Thing was as long as my leg and the tail alone weighed about 14 pounds. Tuffer than boot leather but when you catch a 32 pound lobster it's time to start melting the butter.

Then in 1988 while stationed at NSGA Adak, AK I hooked into and landed a 240 pound Butt and transfered back stateside three days later. I had to give the whole thing away. It didn't take too long to empty the back of the pick up.

natetreat wrote:It looks a lot smaller than it actually was because of the foreshortening caused by the angle I had him at. He was a native, couldn't take him out of the water.

That angle makes it look like a 20, but judging by the size of the fin against your arm, head size to your hand. I want to say it looks to be around 45 or so but its a tough call.
Either way that's a awesome fish with a great picture to back it up

Amx wrote:I caught a whale once. Out in the Atlantic ocean. It was too far away to see in the picture, but it was there somewhere. No I didn't have a fishing rod and wasn't fishing, just caught it with the camera. I was in the Navy.

Ok, ok, fishing, 10 pound Largemouth Bass. 10 pound line, crankbait, Lake Sawyer, May 1994. I think the sea bass I caught off the pier in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba was bigger, but not sure. Didn't have a scale and I gave it to a native on the U.S.Naval Base, I was in the Navy.

Whoops, forgot about the 12 pound carp on Potholes on a spinnerbait during a Bass tourney.

I actually Did catch a whale. Back in 1986 I was on the USS Carl Vincent fishing off the fan tail for huge stingrays { 4-5 ft across } when I threw a really long high cast this security boat came out of nowhere and my gear and it collided and proceeded to strip the 30 lb line off my reel resulting in one big bang when the line broke. That was one big, fast. Boston WHALEr!!!!!!

Good going. I did catch a seagull once on Meridian. I made a cast to a dock that the gull was on, it took off and flew up into my line. The crankbait then rose up to the bird and it got tangled and fell to the water. Didn't get any hooks in it, just wrapped up. A couple other boats on the water saw it and one guy commented on it, something about the bird not being pleased. I said the gull didn't want to get in the boat. Musta weighted a good 2 pounds. I wonder what happened to the thread on the crasiest things we've caught.

Freshwater - Probably carp or catfish back in Nebraska. Got both in their 20's- I also caught a snapper turtle who's shell was as big as a garbage can lid once while night fishing for cats. Got it to the bank, but wasn't about to try and bring it out of the water
Salt - 6' sand shark in Mexico when I was 8.

fear_no_fish wrote:

natetreat wrote:It looks a lot smaller than it actually was because of the foreshortening caused by the angle I had him at. He was a native, couldn't take him out of the water.

That angle makes it look like a 20, but judging by the size of the fin against your arm, head size to your hand. I want to say it looks to be around 45 or so but its a tough call.
Either way that's a awesome fish with a great picture to back it up

Yea, it was in the upper 30's at least. I've caught fish around the same size, but without a picture to back it up, it didn't happen

I'm planning on breaking 30 for steelhead this winter. That's my goal. Sturgeon I caught was as long as the boat, they should count though.

Well my biggest is about 34 pounds now. Got a nice king yesterday

natetreat wrote:

fear_no_fish wrote:

natetreat wrote:It was a big sturgeon, but they shouldn't count. Otherwise it would be a big native king that I caught in the tilton, no poundage or length, but I got a picture.

Lets see that picture!

what a beautiful fish!! good work!