How big.........??? (Pic)

Fishin Magician · 03-17-2003, 09:10 AM

He was ~40" long and based on hand measurements I estimate he was 24"-26" in girth. It was a battle to get him to come in for a visit and a photo. He is not a bright fish but he has beautiful coloring, I think...... :grin: How big do you think he is........???????

John

[ 03-17-2003, 10:19 AM: Message edited by: Fishin Magician ]

Sturgeon King · 03-17-2003, 09:20 AM

21 lbs

, just a guess! ~SK~

rock bottom · 03-17-2003, 09:26 AM

What an ugly hat.
nice fish though.

rola76 · 03-17-2003, 09:27 AM

22lbs, but more importantly, I see that pink worm!!

Fishin Magician · 03-17-2003, 09:30 AM

Get back to work Dave....... :tongue:

Go Harley · 03-17-2003, 09:42 AM

Go here for an estimate:
Weight Calculator

You might want to re-evaluate the girth, though.

fishingfirst · 03-17-2003, 09:44 AM

Nice fish, I'm sure it gets bigger every time you tell the story!

Scott

Hogmaster · 03-17-2003, 09:45 AM

What a great hat!
Ugly fish, though.

:grin: :grin: :grin:

21.7698735 lbs!

Fishin Magician · 03-17-2003, 09:52 AM

Harley, what do you think the girth is?????? I based it on cradling the fish with both hands and had 8" of gap left. From middle finger to thumb on my hand is 9".......It is a guess only. I really dont care, Its just for fun.....

Note- his bottom jaw was 8" from front to back and that is a 6" worm hanging out.

Scott wait til next week....... :tongue:

Hog- :grin: :grin: :grin:

John

[ 03-17-2003, 10:56 AM: Message edited by: Fishin Magician ]

First Bite · 03-17-2003, 10:06 AM

John,

What are you doing playing around with smolts for? :grin:

Kidding aside...I'd say it's clearly in the 20+ range. Now if that Buck can mate with the huge hen I got a week ago that would make for some nice offspring.

Way to go

Mark

fishingfirst · 03-17-2003, 10:16 AM

John,

Next week it will be:"52 pound steelhead caught with a 24" pink worm on 4lb test, standing on one foot on a slippery rock in a snow storm"!

Fishermen NEVER stretch the truth! :grin:

Scott

Fishin Magician · 03-17-2003, 12:08 PM

BOE-
How much for that rod...........I love it!!!!!!

Dave- What would it run to get a replica done for this fish.....I have 2 other pictures to scale off of????? Shoot me an e-mail.

John

Go Harley · 03-17-2003, 12:48 PM

Fishin Magician:

The reason I mentioned the girth is because when I put the measurements into the calculator (at Piscatorial Pursuits) it came out to a range of 29 to 34 pounds. I figured you'd probably measured the length against your rod and then used your hands or fingers to guesstimate the girth. I'll admit that's a really fat fish for a buck, but I'm not sure it's 30 pounds worth.

But then again, Dave Smith has surely seen more fish that size than I have dreamed of, so I'd have to trust his judgement. Either way, that's a gorgeous fish, and yes, I'm envious. :smile:

Fishin Magician · 03-17-2003, 01:31 PM

I was guessing myself around mid 20's. I have a 26#er in the books and it was longer and skinnier. I am most impressed with the head and shoulders, simply nature perfected... :smile:

omnivore · 03-17-2003, 01:41 PM

That's a beautiful and huge fish, but it doesn't look bigger than low twenties, at best. Just my 2 cents.

ZaQ · 03-17-2003, 02:07 PM

12 pounds.

Fishin Magician · 03-17-2003, 02:15 PM

U R jealous Zaq... :grin:
Can you fish later this week??????

Wobble glo · 03-17-2003, 02:15 PM

12 lb. That's funny!

Great fish john.

Dave Smith · 03-17-2003, 06:44 PM

John- I would love to do that baby and I have a mold that is absolutely perfect! I am just way too busy and have not been able to accept new fish clients- sorry!! If you find someone who has a ton of experience with casting fish and are sure they wouldn't ruin my precious mold, I would be willing to let them cast a blank from one of my molds. That is all I can offer at this time. I am at 40.00 per inch. www.cochranandsmith.com

KingFisher85 · 03-17-2003, 07:07 PM

22.12 pounds

And again, another fisherman with his rod just laying on the rocks like that. You people make me sick

Nice fish

Fishin Magician · 03-17-2003, 07:08 PM

Dave- I am not in a hurry and would prefer to have it done by a local person anyway....... How soon might you be in a position to do it.....???

03-17-2003, 07:13 PM

Let me see...I'm guessing about 13 lbs. tops!

Way to go John boy

I'd buy you a beer for that one.

[ 03-17-2003, 08:15 PM: Message edited by: Stew ]

Spooled · 03-17-2003, 07:21 PM

Nice fish John. Here is a picture of a recent Nestucca fish. Notice proper head wear. :grin:

GorgeCaster · 03-17-2003, 08:17 PM

A Skinny 18lbs.

Blue Lure Ed · 03-17-2003, 08:41 PM

Hey,

My 3 cents: 21lbs. Still an awesome fish. I'd like to have caught it!!!

Good job.

Ed

Fishin Magician · 03-17-2003, 08:57 PM

C'mon Troy.........I know the truth. You just put on that hat for the picture. I found the other (Real) picture.........You are a closet beaver and it is ok to admit it........

Heres the real one:

Lets hook up soon----

John

Schimoozie · 03-17-2003, 11:13 PM

Definitely a 17-plus # hog.

Dave Smith · 03-17-2003, 11:24 PM

I think everyone is underestimating the weight. I have been making molds of steelhead for over twenty years and have inhereted a ton of molds from the great Ron Pittard of Seaside, OR. It is refreshing to say the least that you guys are all very accurate and realistic and conservative in your estimations! In my mold inventory, the lightest weight fish I have that is 40" is 24 lbs., the heaviest is 30 lbs. It is hard to know if this fish is a full 40" and hard to estimate the size from that angle, but I would throw a guess of closer to 24lbs. if I was asked. It is a great fish, indeed!!! Dave Smith

Bait O' Eggs · 03-17-2003, 11:44 PM

Nice fish, and an even nicer hat

I guess mid 20's

Did the rod you used look something like this?

Spooled · 03-18-2003, 05:15 AM

Funny John.

I didn't think I could look any uglier than I do in that pic, but you were able to make it uglier with that hat. My head already looks like a pumpkin, that orange and black hat just adds the proper Halloween touch.

A quiz.... What does a Duck say? Answer: Quack-Quack.
What does a Beaver say? Answer: You win!!

Firedog · 03-18-2003, 05:41 AM

I would guess that fish to be in the high teens to low twenties. Without seeing it in person it is hard to say. Excellent hat though and glad to see you fixed Troy's picture and got him wearing the propper hat. :smile:

As far as that rod Roy posted, I have seen it and it is an excellent rod.

Holehog · 03-18-2003, 03:48 PM

Estimiate are only estimates! My estimate is that it is a hog! No one will ever know the weight, Suggestion: pick up a cloth sewing tape and keep it handy, length & girth are length & girth, thats final, no disputes. It takes less time to measure a fish than it does to take its picture even quicker if you have help.

Congrats on a great Nate.

go fisch · 03-18-2003, 06:20 PM

Like the hat!!!!!!!!!!!!

Snagly · 03-18-2003, 06:33 PM

OK, I'm going to play again based on the new information that it's 40" long even though I've already put in a post on Steelheader.net (using 36" and 38" as estimated lengths).

An "average" 40" x 20" buck weighs an "average" of 20lbs. Your fish is thicker, but I've never caught a Skeena system (fat) buck that's more than 22" around. I'm sure they exist, but I've measured a few fish and none of them were any bigger unless they were longer.

Your fish is fat through the tail, so let's consider it a Skeena fish. A 20" girth gets you 22lbs on average up there (biggest ever that I'm aware of was a 24lb hen). At 21" you're adding another pound or two, and so on.

So on balance, your taxidermist seems to be close to the mark at 24lbs or so for a 21"+ girth fish. (Sorry I lowballed you on the other Board -- I didn't know how long it was.)

PS While some call those colored up bucks "Campbell's Soup Cans" I find them beautiful!

BUBBA911 · 03-18-2003, 07:45 PM

Nice fish and better yet a fellow beaver that can catch fish .. seee all our parents money went to good use driving to the alsea and the siletz fishing.. ill try and set up some pictures up to prove the beaves kick fanny over the ducks. nice fishing rod by the way .. fire dog good to see ya again.. lets fish soon.. bubba

Wild Chrome · 03-19-2003, 04:11 PM

Nice fish! I'd guess 22 +/- 2.