Super-sized SRC

[SmallStreams]

Last week I took vacation to go chase some chinook with the backup plan of fishing for cutthroat. The chinook hadn't yet made it upriver to my preferred fishing holes, so the cutthroat hunt was on.

Friend and I found ourselves on the North Fork Nehalem at a special pool. I made him take the first cast since nice things usually happen in that pool on the first couple of casts... and we weren't disappointed as he hooked a large fish and got it under control. When it came into view from the depths of the pool, it was so large that I automatically pegged it as a steelhead (it obviously wasn't a salmon). Friend swung it around to where we could check if the adipose fin was intact.

So a little more song & dance ensues while he gets it in position so I can grab the tail and gently release it... only the fish had other plans, shakes its head like a bellydancer and flips away upside down. Which is exactly when I see those familiar red throat slashes and realize that rather than being a steelhead, it was the biggest, thickest, most monster searun cutthroat trout that I've ever seen in my life!

Our conservative estimate is 18"-20" long, about 3.5" wide, and 3+ lbs. And I guess my lesson is that size doesn't matter when identifying fish.

 

[bran_man]

Nice! Yeah they can get pretty big! Couple winters back plumb2fish caught one that was small steely sized

 

[TimberTodd]

I hope he bought you lunch for making him take the first cast

 

[bass]

Cool. I have caught some SRC's in the Wilson in the 3-4lb range and they are a hoot. Some on a fly but a smolt colored rapala is by far my best lure for the big ones.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[Mutiny]

Cool, I have been wanting to fish the north fork nehalem and been reading a bit about it in guide books. What general areas have good fishing access? How far up are the sea-runs right now? What where you fishing with? I've been tying up some small streamers in anticipation of SRC moving into the fresh water...

 

[OnTheDrop]

Yeah Sea-Runs get big! I see 4-5 pounders every year after the rains. I ran into a similar story heading to fish the Nehalem bay 2 weeks ago. Took a quick stop at the Kilchis and hooked a 19-20" SRC on the second cast. They are scrappy and worth a day of targeting..Especially on a fly rod!

 

[halibuthitman]

Yeah Sea-Runs get big! I see 4-5 pounders every year after the rains. I ran into a similar story heading to fish the Nehalem bay 2 weeks ago. Took a quick stop at the Kilchis and hooked a 19-20" SRC on the second cast. They are scrappy and worth a day of targeting..Especially on a fly rod!

the Kilches has some of the biggest src that I have seen.. love that watershed-

 

[SmallStreams]

Cool, I have been wanting to fish the north fork nehalem and been reading a bit about it in guide books. What general areas have good fishing access? How far up are the sea-runs right now? What where you fishing with? I've been tying up some small streamers in anticipation of SRC moving into the fresh water...

Above the North Fork hatchery has the best access when there's not active logging. Right now, you're more likely going to find SRCs closer to tidewater.

We were using #5 spinners, brass or silver or chrome.

 

[SmallStreams]

the Kilches has some of the biggest src that I have seen.. love that watershed-

50 years of living in Oregon and it wasn't until this spring that I fished the Kilchis. Don't know why I'd never been there before because it is a beautiful stream!

 

[OnTheDrop]

the Kilches has some of the biggest src that I have seen.. love that watershed-

Yessir. Some big ones, and it turns into some of the prettiest water when the rains hit. The biggest I have came across were on the Miami.