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My "World Record" Steelhead - Right Place, Right Time

I am not one for hyperbole. I don't really care about how big my fish are. When you fish and travel for a living, you are always focused on your NEXT adventures and it seems I rarely have time to ponder the great catches of past trips....but there was this one day....

It was late May, 2006. I was hosting a group of traveling anglers at a beautiful Alaska destination called Dove Island Lodge. The owners had become personal friends - they even had my wife and me over to their house in Northern California for an amazing dinner with unbelievable wine. We sat and talked while our kids played together. But today, we were in Sitka, Alaska readying ourselves for the first day of salmon and halibut fishing in the prolific waters of the Pacific Ocean beneath the shadow of Edgecumbe - Sitka's own private volcano.

Now it may seem like an ironic twist of fate - or just ridiculous - but I have to be the only fishing travel company owner in the world who is ALLERGIC to the deep water rock-and-roll of the waves. I can handle the flats of Mexico and even the inshore waters in Costa Rica, but I become the official chum donation station if I go out on deep water adventures anywhere else on Earth. My breakfast becomes a floating seagull buffet. If you have ever been seasick, I'm sure you are sympathetic. And I've tried all the remedies - none have worked.

So I helped everyone get ready to go, then kicked back in the lodge living room and looked out longingly to the west watching my departing friends. It was then that Duane - owner of the lodge and pilot of the Beaver - asked if I would like to join him for a little fly-out trip to see if we could find a steelhead. "Huh? You have a plane?" I feigned surprise. Like I didn't know. This was why I came to Alaska, but little did I know how amazing this day would be.

We took off from the lodge about 9:00 AM. We landed on a remote lake in a deep canyon about thirty minutes later. The spectacular views during flight would have been worth the entire price of the trip, but we were just getting started. Within fifty yards of where we tied the float-plane up, I saw the first steelhead of the day in the outlet of the lake. It was about a fifteen pounder and although I was able to get a fly near him, he wouldn't eat and eventually spooked into the deeper water. My adrenaline levels were on the rise. Duane motioned that we should move downstream, so we hiked. Fifty yards later we saw more steelhead laying in the shallow water trying to stay hidden, but also not too concerned. There are bears and eagles in the area during salmon season in the summer and fall, but this was spring and the fish were relaxed. It didn't hurt that there are no roads to get here - the only access is by float-plane or miles of hiking in from the ocean.

Duane and I hooked and landed over a dozen fish. I honestly didn't keep track. They ranged in size from eight to twenty pounds. Some of you are calling BS right now. But it's true. And there was one fish that was slightly bigger...ok, a LOT bigger.

I saw him when I approached the pool and my immediate internal recognition response was "chinook". But this wasn't the time for chinook salmon to be in freshwater. They come in much later in the season and Duane assured me this was a steelhead. In the water it looked to be twice the size of the big fish we had been catching and it dwarfed the fish around it. In the pool there must have been twenty or more steelies and we caught four or five in about an hour. I made a few casts toward the big boy, but each time a smaller fish would snatch the fly and the big one would spook into deeper water. So we had lunch under a huge cedar and let the fish rest. After lunch I told Duane it was his turn again. He cast his blue fox spinner and let it swing through the pool - wham! Fish on. After landing that one, Duane gave me the nod. I looked out into the pool hoping to see the big boy again and I wasn't disappointed. He had moved back into the exact same spot. He was forty feet away, across the river and downstream at about a forty-five degree angle. Perfect.

Keep in mind that although I knew it was big, I had no idea HOW big this fish was. If I had, who knows how my adrenaline would have affected my ability. But ignorance was bliss and I made a cast. I saw the fish move a little and I set the hook. Glo Bug in the tail - #$@%. One quick pop of the leader and I broke him off on purpose. I wanted this fish, but I wanted a fair fight. Figuring I had missed my chance, I offered Duane the opportunity. He said (and I'm sure he regrets it ), "no, you are the guest - go ahead. And by the way, the fish hasn't moved."

I switched to a low profile black and purple leech that I had tied on a #6 long-shanked heavy wire streamer hook. I made another cast ten feet above the fish. One upstream mend. Rod was pointed at the water...the fly was sinking and swinging and the marabou was fluttering and - he ate it. I set the hook, lifted the rod and the fish just stayed put. Then he shook his head a couple of times and started leisurely upstream...then not so leisurely he ran out fifty yards of line in about a second and half. This thing was huge and it was strong. Duane and I both knew that the chances of getting this fish in for a photo were not good. About twenty things have to go exactly right for success and it only takes one thing to go wrong for failure. My seven weight St. Croix flyrod and twelve pound fluorocarbon tippet were no match for this fish.

But everything did go right. The fish stayed up stream for most of the battle fighting my graphite and the current. He came close to a big submerged log once in the deeper portion of the pool, but I was able to steer him away from it and back upstream he went again. Fifteen minutes of battle I think. Time kind of stands still during a real fight. In the end, we got a couple of photos and the fish swam away unharmed.

WORLD RECORD - NOPE
This fish was not the biggest steelhead ever caught, and is in no way any kind of official world record. But, had I killed the fish and measured it with proper tools, I'm sure it would have made the record books. And while that and three dollars will get you a foamy latte, I honestly don't care. It's my biggest steelie and I am happy to have caught it. And the thought never occurred to me to take this fish's genes from the pool...so to speak. It's kind of funny, as I write this I can't even remember the dimensions. I think it was 45 inches long (I used my fly rod as my measuring stick) and 27 inches in girth (I used my hand span of 9 inches and estimated three hand spans).

If you want to catch one of these giant steelhead, get in touch with me. I have an open invitation to go back anytime! And if you make it up to Dove Island Lodge in Sitka, check out the fiberglass mount of my fish. It is prominently featured

About the Author

Dale Williams has traveled and fished the world since 1985. His business, Rod and Reel Adventures is a worldwide fishing travel agency. They offer objective information that helps travelers make well informed decisions. Follow him on Twitter @traveltofish. Read his blogs at travelandfishtheworld.blogspot.com, or check out the Rod and Reel website at www.rodreeladventures.com.

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