GIANT HATCH STEEL (redux)
GIANT HATCH STEEL (redux)
KVAL news -
My quiet neighborhood in Eugene echoed with sounds of joy and jubilation today, so I grabbed my camera and went to see what all the fuss was about. My neighbor, Mark Wiederhold of West Eugene, got up early Thursday morning and like many other mornings, went fishing with a buddy. Mark is retired and his drift boat sees more miles per week than the family car. ( His fishing buddies see him more than his wife does too! ) This morning turned out to be one of Mark's most magical ever and Mother Earth blessed Mark with his largest Steelhead ever !

..The huge fish is 37 inches long and weighs 18 pounds ! It does not have an adipose fin and is a legal " stocked" fish. Mark also caught a 35 incher that weighed 16 pounds... I watched as Mark cut the " small " one into steaks and asked him if he was going to mount the big one. " Nope, he is headed for the smoker " Mark retorted with a big grin on his face. His grin was about 37 inches wide ! I am looking forward to his invite for dinner soon. The fish came from a creek west of Eugene, near Florence.