# Steelhead Handling- Question



## lunker23 (Jun 28, 2013)

So I was finishing my day on Friday around the Necklace and seen a fellow fisherman pull in a nice Steelhead. I was amazed on how the disregard to proper landing and releasing was displayed by this person. 
I was leaving around 3:30 PM when I seen him reeling in a Steelhead from the shore. The spot where he was fishing was fairly Rocky and the water level was low. So this guy decides to drag the fish through the rocks while the fish was flapping around as any fish would do. After approx 2 minutes the fish was landed at his feed still flipping around. 
Now I know that handling a Steelhead should be kept to a minimum, but this guy never touched the fish. Instead he reached down, unhooked the fish and watched as the fish struggled to make its way back into the water. 
I wanted to say something to this guy, but he had a few of his buddies with him and who knows how they would have reacted. I've been thinking about this the last few days and was wondering if I did the right thing with just walking away? What would have you guys did in this situation?


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## BigDaddy300 (Nov 1, 2004)

Those fish are tougher than most think...especially in cold water. I usually beach them in shallow water, quickly unhook and nudge them back out to where they came from. Keeps the hands warmer also. 

lund 1775 pro v se


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## steelhead sniper 860 (Nov 6, 2013)

I agree handling these fish is essential in maintaining a quality fishery.. However Have you ever watched how the fish handle themselves? Ive seen full size salmon and Trout repeatedly jump 2-4 feet nose first into brick wall dam all day. The journey of the fish is rough by nature. They swim over shallow sections of rocks. Ive caught fish that were beat up naturally but seemed perfectly healthy. Some ppl need to work on c-n-r but what you described didnt sound unethical at all however if theres buddies around would have been easiest to just tail it.


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## fishinnick (Feb 19, 2011)

Yeah, they are tougher than we tend to think, but some people go overboard. Beaching the fish in shallow water is one thing, but dragging fish away from the waters edge and letting it flop around on the dry rocks/dirt/sand/grass for an excessive amount of time as you said is too much. A little common sense goes a long way. Some people are just uneducated, and others just flat out don't care. 

Goes for all fish, not just steelhead. This spring I watched someone catch a bass and they just let it sit there and flop around on the sand/gravel. Thought they were going to keep it at first(which I'm not against, as long as you're going to eat it and not throw it out), but after about 5min of the fish flopping around in the sand and leaves and attempting to unhook it they kicked it back in the water. Like I said, just use some common sense people....


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## samiam (Jan 6, 2011)

I once had a guy yell at me because I touched the fish with a dry hand. If he wasn't such a [email protected]# about it I wouldn't have throw the fish at him. That what you get for jacking my hole while I unhook the fish and then proceed to yell at me. I missed with the fish and he was wading so I am sure the fish swam away fine.


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## Patricio (Feb 2, 2007)

its best to keep the fish moist when unhooking it. as demonstrated in this pic.


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## whjr15 (Jun 16, 2005)

Patricio said:


> its best to keep the fish moist when unhooking it. as demonstrated in this pic.


By pure chance, I had the page scrolled down just enough to read only those two lines. I'm thinkin' to myself "good advice!" 

I then scroll down, get caught off guard, and proceed to literally LOL!


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## creekcrawler (Oct 5, 2004)

That mud trout - Lol!!!


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## lunker23 (Jun 28, 2013)

Well, I guess there's no definate answer to this. I'll practice good C N R so the fish is able to be caught by the next person. It's nice to have these rivers, streams and lakes in our backyards. Why not take care of what's in them so this hobby can be enjoyed for years to come? 
One last thing, doesn't the fish (Steelhead) use enough of its energy while being "played" until being landed (if done properly)? Then being dragged across the rocks and then making its way back into the water by flopping around. This doesn't tire the fish out to near death? 
Maybe I'm just reading too much into this?


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## spectrum (Feb 12, 2013)

Lunker,
You hit the nail on the head, there is no good answer to it. In river fishing sometimes the only thing you can do is beach it on the rocks. Most of this is experience, when I was starting out I did things just like you mentioned. Now I just play the fish quick and unhook it in the water. Best thing you can do, is what your doing and other fisherman will see what you do and hopefully do the same....that's how I learned!


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## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

I once witnessed an older "gent" catching one after another by using Prince nymphs on a spinning rig abt 50 yds below the dam at Daniels. He would sort of put the nymph in front of a fish repeatedly on a short line and miraculously? somehow get the fly in the fishes mouth(all appeared to be fair hooked!). Then he'd proceed to drag them while still hot right up onto the rocks and gravel abt 5 yards away from the water, roughly unhook them, then kick them all the way back to the water til they could swim away. After I saw him do this several times, I approached him and asked(as nicely as I could) if he didn't think it might serious injure or possibly kill the fish? He said "do it your way and I'll do it mine"! I just walked away flabbergasted!


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## steelhead sniper 860 (Nov 6, 2013)

haha i think patricio hit the nail on the head with the mud trout. man I lol'd hard!


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