Steelhead Trout caught in Hewport Harbor!!!!

[sonarbp]

I don't know if it is true or not but judge for yourself!!!!! I found this report on JD Tackles website!

E-Mail fish report this morning from Newport Harbor--- Well today I did a little fishing off of my community dock opposite lido towards PCH. Started off catching some smelt and hooked one on and soaked it for a good 10 minutes. While waiting I fished up and down the docks for bass and came back and I was bit. I took a few winds and set the hook! Once the line was fully tightened I saw that the fish was on the surface. My first thought was that it was a bat ray or something but then it swirled and I saw it's silver side. From a distance the fish looked like a small white seabass. But as I came closer... I identified it as a steelhead trout! I was awestruck at this.

It was about 20" long and weighed in at around 3 lbs. Unfortunately, the fish was hooked through the stomach and it bled very quickly and died. I was maddened at this because I wanted it to live, but at least I got some great pics. Has anyone ever heard of such a catch in that area? Because this was a first for me by far!

It was an illegal fish to be kept!!!!!!!!!!



sonarbp

[BakoBassin]

You hear about it a couple times a year it seems.

[JSAUCE818]

My buddy showed me this on bloody decks....that is a rare catch from what I hear...it is true...that guy is a bloody decks member........

[JSAUCE818]

My buddy showed me this on bloody decks....that is a rare catch from what I hear...it is true...that guy is from bloody decks..

[cappo]

hope dfg doesnt see his pic

[fishmounter]

I don't think it's a Steelhead. With a sharp-edged forked tail like that, it looks to be a "Jack" or young King Salmon. People catch them every once in a while in Newport, though they are usually larger. It also has sea lice near it's anal fin.

[sansou]

Juvy salmon.

[jerryG]

I was kayak fishing in Newport Harbor one time and I came across a fresh dead floater. Maybe about 5lbs or so. It looked like a rainbow trout drifting away from it and before I could paddle back to take another look at it a seal had moved in on it. Not sure if it was a salmon or steelhead. I do remember there a time when the salmon popped up in Newport Canyon and the Newport boats were getting them pretty good for about a week or so. This was back in the 80's but over the years I have heard of a couple reports of them being caught in that area. I have witnessed 3 salmon caught locally by other anglers. One day I saw 2 caught on the horse shoe kelp outside of Long beach/ san pedro area and 1 on the hunting flats during the sand bass spawn. I have caught kings in Ventura and santa barbara but run up there each year. I got them when they had a really strong run up there about 12 years ago. The boats up there were limiting out on them at the time. I wasn't all that impressed by them.

JerryG

[olefrog]

The fish could be any of the ones mentioned.
The best ID is the the mouth coloring.
White tongue and gums Steelhead
Black base of teath King (Chinook)
Gray band at base of teath Silver (Coho)

Ole frog has caught quite a few Chinook Salmon in the South Bay off Marina DelRey,
I sure did not broadcast it when they were running.The reason ole frog had lots of room and did not want wall to wall boats.
I would give my numbers away anytime except the Salmon.

I am an old desert rat now and don't fish the area sold my boat.
So I will tell you how I did it.
If conditions are right like in December , January meter bait balls in 100 to 200 feet of water .I even caught them close to the pipe line
Fish are going to be deep because they love cold water.
Use a down rigger ,a dodger ,anchove for bait.
You can also fish a mooching rig with live bait .
The downrigger is better because you can fish the edges of the bait balls.
Mooching at 200 ft is a bear,your going to pay your dues on this .
Your not going to sink the boat with fish but you can scratch a few at times.

On the fish ? ole frog don't know the California game laws I am in Arizona.
I'll say this is a young Salmond with the adipose fin clipped .(Hatchery fish)

Ole frog can remember when they had a Steelhead in Malibu Creek years ago.

Nice catch young man I sure hope you ate this sucker.
This is what fishing is all about,
ta ta ole frog