Sorry I Killed You

[Nick Pionessa]

First of the Season- Bad Karma? I've been very nice to the vast majority of the steelhead i've caught. I've never killed one on purpose. Every once in a while I get reminded that this is a blood sport and that maybe the fish don't think it's as much fun as we do. This was my first hook up of the season and she took it into the gill rakers and bled to death during the fight. #4 barbless octopus hook fixed in a tube, not even loop trailed. I guess she really wanted it. Fortunately it was a hatchery fish. I don't feel too bad about it since I respected the death and made a fine dinner out of her. that's the right thing to do and when it finally happens to you, take the time to clean the fish immediately and you will have some great table fare. I do admit the walk out was quite interesting! We will see how the rest of the season goes.

Great grab off an old friend of a pool.


Spirited fight and a good long run. Then i noticed a bit of color in the water.


Rut-ro! Note the blood coming from the gill cover.


Immediately clean the fish and get all the blood and even the gills out. The taste will be greatly improved. Find yourself a nice forked stick for a handle.


Two hours on the grill with indirect heat. Brushed with a mix of olive oil and honey, salt and pepper. Too damn tasty for their own good.


while we're on the subject- if you are going to purposely kill a steelhead please make sure it is a hatchery fish. most of the time you can tell by the fins. if it looks pristine and has straight, clear fins please let it go to make more for us. fortunately the few i've accidentally killed have all been stockers.

[larryhalyk]

Thanks Nick, a good reminder that fishing is a blood sport no matter how you choose partake. I had the same thing happen to me last week on a Lake Huron River that has a 100% wild steelhead run. Hoping it was a hatchery fish is folly on this river so I felt terrible. My terminal setup was similar to yours and the fish took it well into the gill rakers. All the fish I took that day were very fresh and less than a km from the lake so they were pounding it early in the swing. That's my favourite scenario, but this has happened to me a couple times before under these conditions. Even though the trailing hook wasn't too far back, maybe I should switch to a traditional fly under these conditions in the future... or maybe I should know when to walk away from the river. Something to think about.

That dreaded cloud of red



Failed revival


Perfect fins on a perfect fish.  Glad your fish tasted good Nick.  Mine tasted bitter.
Larry 

[jeffraz]

Larry,

That fish is absolutely perfect! Sorry about your misfortune. It happens once and a while.

[Nick Pionessa]

yeah that is a bummer Larry, beautiful fish.

consider the many you've handled well.

[byronfishpaw]

Oct 15, 2014 10:10:13 GMT -5 Nick Pionessa said:

consider the many you've handled well.

and consider all the good you do to secure their habitat.

[SteveKowalski]

"yeah that is a bummer Larry, beautiful fish.

consider the many you've handled well."

"and consider all the good you do to secure their habitat."


I thought it was part of your Ontario retirement package...
You get to eat all you want, of the wild fish you helped to create

Awesome fish Larry,
It always hurts to F'up a beautiful one.

I am planning to fire up some Hickory smoked stockers this fall
(which means I will ONLY catch wild fish )

Steve