# Can't believe what I caught!!!



## seanb19 (Aug 10, 2007)

So, I went steelheading yesterday at conneaut creek and I caught this 28" chinook salmon. It was a female that had just spawned. Here are the picks it was pretty cool!! I don't know how it got here, but it all in all was a good time.

And if anyone wants to go steelheading with me, I am new at it and would always be willing to go. I would love the experience.


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## mike003 (Sep 8, 2007)

Nice catch!!!


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## BrianSipe17 (Aug 5, 2006)

Great work, Sean! I will be Salmon slaying in NY next weekend!

I do need to hit you up for a trip soon.


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## theprowler (Jul 14, 2004)

New York still puts salmon in Lake Erie. I am not sure about Canada, but they probably do not.


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## archman (Apr 30, 2004)

Great job. What did you get it on? I've always wanted to catch a salmon while steelheading. You'd think one of these days it would happen.


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## Patricio (Feb 2, 2007)

salmon dont bite after spawning, not even reactionary. snag city baby. not that I care, these are zombie fish. the swimming dead. lining is a technique some use to snag them in the mouth. they can be fun to hook though, the smelly rotten bastards. heading up to NY next weekend for a few, and some browns. 


archman said:


> Great job. What did you get it on? I've always wanted to catch a salmon while steelheading. You'd think one of these days it would happen.


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## seanb19 (Aug 10, 2007)

well, unless snagging involves them opening their mouth and biting the hook, then that is what I did. I'm not sure why some people have to come on this site and try to be so negative.


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## peteavsurace (May 15, 2008)

hey man nice catch.
i believe you that it bit too. i did some salmon fishing in alaska last year and it is TRUE that they do not bite out of hunger, because they are going to die. however, they DO bite anyways on occasion without snagging because they often try to kill anything moving near where they spawned to eliminate competition or predators that would harm their eggs. At least that is what the guide said who had been up there for 30 years. So nice job! Bet it fought like a beast!


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## jlamson (Oct 18, 2006)

awesome fish man, sometime send me a pm and well get on some fish i live in kingsville, congrats on that hog


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## ezbite (May 25, 2006)

nice salmon you caught there sean. how'd it fight?


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## bassmanmark (May 17, 2005)

I've caught a few Chinook jacks in the Vermilion and they bit on a jig and maggot. While fishing in Michigan in the Betsie I have seen (now I have fished there for 14yrs and this happened twice) salmon actually go out of their way to grab a fly. And I have seen Coho do the same thing and a bit more readily.


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## firehawkmph (Aug 14, 2008)

Sean,
I could be mistaken, but I seem to remember stocking of salmon years ago for a short time here. Every once in awhile someone comes up with one, usually a pretty big one. I used to go up to Lake Ontario in the mid to late eighties for salmon. We always had a great time. Most of the fish were from 25-35 pounds. Always fought like a freight train, pure muscle. We always caught them with the hooks in the mouth, not snagging. When they are making their final run up the river, people do snag a lot of them, but it is illegal. They had some unique setups to snag the fish and make it look like they didn't. At that point the fish are dark like the one you caught and are about ready to kick the bucket. If you catch them in late august to early september, they are still silver and in decent shape. Springtime is probably the best time if you want to eat them. 
Mike Hawkins


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## wader (Dec 9, 2004)

Judging by the stringer, I assume you reduced it to posession. Did you actually eat that thing? It looks like its about 2/3 rotten and probably very smelly....


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## vkutsch (Oct 28, 2005)

Patricio said:


> salmon dont bite after spawning, not even reactionary. snag city baby. not that I care, these are zombie fish. the swimming dead. lining is a technique some use to snag them in the mouth. they can be fun to hook though, the smelly rotten bastards. heading up to NY next weekend for a few, and some browns.


Totally false, caught many few weeks ago in AK, watched them strike the fly..


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## archman (Apr 30, 2004)

> Totally false, caught many few weeks ago in AK, watched them strike the fly..


Maybe they weren't eating the fly, just striking it out of aggression


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## fishgrl (Oct 12, 2008)

Good job!!! I am looking for someone who can help me become a better fisherwoman!!! Do you like to go wading?? Maybe we could go sometime! Awesome job on catching this fish!!!!


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## seanb19 (Aug 10, 2007)

It put up a little fight, but I could tell it was tired from spawning. Not as big of a fight as I hoped for.


ezbite said:


> nice salmon you caught there sean. how'd it fight?


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## DanAdelman (Sep 19, 2005)

ha go figure just spent the weekend in NY and no salmon...First time up there...
Had a great time but fishing was bad this warm spell killed the run where we were very little fish but they were catching a ton a few days before we got there....


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## seanb19 (Aug 10, 2007)

Yeah, actually I did eat the thing. Let me tell you it was not the best. VERY FISHY, but still edible.


wader said:


> Judging by the stringer, I assume you reduced it to posession. Did you actually eat that thing? It looks like its about 2/3 rotten and probably very smelly....


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## seanb19 (Aug 10, 2007)

I think it was striking out of aggression. From what I read they do stop eating after spawning, but they will attack anything that is in their territory.


archman said:


> Maybe they weren't eating the fly, just striking it out of aggression


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## Ntflyer (Aug 6, 2008)

Back in the 70's they stocked Kings, used to catch them everytime out. I have always wondered if somehow there were any left around, I guess you proved there are! I remember catching 20 plus punders from Arcola.

Nice job!


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## yonderfishin (Apr 9, 2006)

A lot of salmon in the river to spawn arent smelly or rotten yet. My dad used to take me to a river in Michigan ( somewhere between Oscoda and Alepna I think ) where we would spot them and chase them up into shallow water and grab 'em to fill the freezer lasting us through the winter. About 1 out of 3 were nasty and some even fall apart when picking them up but most of them were good and fresh as if they were lake caught. I think if you can get to them early in the run or before they spawn they can be good. Believe it or not Ive seen a few salmon in the au sable caught on spawn bags during the run , while steelhead fishing , makes no sense but it happens from time to time.


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## dcross765 (Oct 20, 2005)

Got a coho off the long wall at fairport steelhead fishing bout 6 years ago.


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## MuskieJim (Apr 11, 2007)

How about we get off the kid's case? GREAT CATCH BUDDY! Without a doubt, a unique catch!

As for the population of salmon in Lake Erie:
"States such as Michigan (for Lake Michigan and Lake Huron) and New York (for Lake Ontario) both where streams have much better stream habitat and conditions than here in Ohio's Lake Erie, must stock steelhead AND salmon for a viable fishery. Ohio ran a stocking program in the late 1970's that ended in 1986 due to a poor return.
Some tributaries in Northeast Ohio, such as Conneaut Creek, Western Pennsylvania, such as Turkey Creek, and Western New York may provide minimal conditions to warrant minimal successful reproduction and/or survival, yet again, the numbers would be virtually insignificant considering the number of salmon needing to be stocked to support a viable sportfishery."


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## yonderfishin (Apr 9, 2006)

Yep, great catch. And its always fun to be surprised by whats on the other end of your line , thats what makes fishing so enjoyable.


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## Nikster (Mar 14, 2007)

seanb19 said:


> well, unless snagging involves them opening their mouth and biting the hook, then that is what I did. I'm not sure why some people have to come on this site and try to be *so negative*.




YUP, AGREE!


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## sou i are (Sep 24, 2008)

2 years ago i seen 1 caught at the rock, much bigger than yours, the one you caught looks small compared to most i have seen that come in, but still strong as a bull i bet


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## MR ED (May 31, 2006)

Sweet Fish!!!


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## Ctroop (May 4, 2007)

Great catch. I see a few caught every year. These were stocked in the 80s but was stopped due to diminishing returns. This fish was probably stocked by another state. Glad to see them in our waters again.


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## MEISTERICS (May 15, 2006)

AK Salmon are a different fish in a different body of water. i do not think its fair to compare them to great lakes fish. Besides, which species were you catching? 

Anyway, From my salmon fishing exp i say that the likelihood of the salmon actually eating the bait/fly is small. Although i did see one take a swing at my estaz egg one time. And lining is the most likely way you will hook a fish.

Eating is the last thing on a salmon's mind in a river.

Either way, i think its great that you caught a king in ohio. That maybe a once in a lifetime feet!

Great job


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## vkutsch (Oct 28, 2005)

reds, qinks and silvers. 
There are so few salmon in that river the odds of lining one without trying is very low.
If he says it hit, why doubt him...they will occasionally strike


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## wickford (Oct 25, 2005)

Nice work Sean!!


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## NLC25 (Jan 21, 2008)

MEISTERICS said:


> AK Salmon are a different fish in a different body of water. i do not think its fair to compare them to great lakes fish. Besides, which species were you catching?
> 
> Great job


I fished for Kings and Reds in AK two years ago. My understanding was the Reds did not "bite" the fly but that the Kings did actually take the spinners with egg sacks that we were back-trolling. I think some people troll plugs for them too?

Sweet catch though! I have wanted to fish for Steelhead ever since my AK trip but haven't made the drive up to the Cleveland.


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