# Rifle Kings?



## CousinMose (May 28, 2013)

I fished the Rifle tonight around M55. Was looking for browns and bows, but hooked into an extremely large fish. It came out of the water over 2 ft and looked like a fresh king or healthy steelhead. It spit my lure and left me only with a fish story. Not sure what to conclude? Was it a King or Steelie?


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## steelieagw81 (Jun 19, 2008)

could have been either one


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## friZZleFry419 (Aug 21, 2007)

It could as well been a king....I fish the rifle down by m-23 and never seen a king until last year in the fall .


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## Jayvelaz1130 (Oct 11, 2012)

I was just there in a trib before town, had a HUGE bow chase my spinner right up to my feet! Easily a 18 incher. I seriously jumped when I saw it, kinda off subject but had to tell someone lol

I hooked into a dime bright fish above Selkirk last week lost it twice in one cast. Definitely either a small king or steelie...... So it is possible

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## CousinMose (May 28, 2013)

I was definitely not prepared for a king with my light weight rod and 6 lb line. 


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## Jayvelaz1130 (Oct 11, 2012)

CousinMose said:


> I was definitely not prepared for a king with my light weight rod and 6 lb line.
> 
> 
> Posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


Try an UL with 4lb. Lol

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## DFJISH (Mar 30, 2009)

I won't argue that it WAS NOT a king, but the Rifle is popular as a steelhead fishery because of their numbers. Steelhead are also well-known for jumping when hooked. I have mounted quite a few steelhead 30"+ that came from the Rifle. Then there is the issue of "fresh." Steelhead remain silver a lot longer than salmon, which at this time of year are getting olive/brown color. IMO your big fish was a steelhead.


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## Duckman1 (Oct 14, 2004)

Probably a LRB or off track king. When salmon were strong in Lake Huron the Rifle would load up. Little early for steel IMO


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## Trout King (May 1, 2002)

Possible atlantic also...who knows.


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## Ralph Smith (Apr 1, 2003)

Duckman1 said:


> Probably a LRB or off track king. *When salmon were strong in Lake Huron the Rifle would load up*. Little early for steel IMO


Yes it would. Rifle used to have lots of kings. I don't think brown if it jumped, and as mentioned, a little early for a steel but you never know. One thing you can do is look for fresh beds in the gravel. If you find any right now, they'll be kings.


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## Trout King (May 1, 2002)

Ralph Smith said:


> Yes it would. Rifle used to have lots of kings. I don't think brown if it jumped, and as mentioned, a little early for a steel but you never know. One thing you can do is look for fresh beds in the gravel. If you find any right now, they'll be kings.


Mouth hooked kings usually jump 2 ft either...


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## Ralph Smith (Apr 1, 2003)

Trout King said:


> Mouth hooked kings usually jump 2 ft either...


I'm thinking you left out the word "don't". But I agree, they rarely jump, but in shallow water of rivers, they will sometimes. Have had them jump in harbors also when hooked, usually right off the bat, then run like crazy. Another "one that got away" story, we'll never know.:lol:


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## Robert Holmes (Oct 13, 2008)

My guess is a skamania I am reasonably certain that they show up in the Rifle River. Back in the day the Rifle River loaded up with Kings and had a fair share of large Brown Trout too.


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## cdacker (Jan 10, 2011)




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## Ralph Smith (Apr 1, 2003)

And there you have it. Thanks for sharing, nice vid!


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## tina (Feb 14, 2010)

Funny the comment about kings not jumping. Lol. I got plenty of vids this year of kings going bananas jumping like crazy well over 2ft. All legal hooked on skein. Anyways, the fish in the rifle could have been any of the fish mentioned. I live 5min from the rifle & have fished it for well over 20yrs. I have pics while catfishing in July catch lakerun browns & steelhead both completely chrome. More than just one or two pics. I have many mid summer pics of fish that shouldn't be there but they are. This is time for kngs too. 6-7 years ago we could float spawn at stover & land kings koho & steelhead all in the same day. Now as for the past 5+ yrs it's been terrible for kings. I got vid & pics if I can figure out how to post them.


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## Ralph Smith (Apr 1, 2003)

Thanks for sharing Tina, would love to see them.


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## tina (Feb 14, 2010)

I'm trying. How do I start to post pics? 
Before I forget almost every steelhead & lk run browns caught mid summer were caught on nothing more than a piece of crawler on a bottom rig.


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## tina (Feb 14, 2010)

Have no idea how to post pic or vid on this site. I can send someone the pics & vid for them to post or view. Sorry.


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## CousinMose (May 28, 2013)

Was on the west side of the state king fishing this weekend. Saw at least 20 jump out of the water with legal hook or no hook at all. One did a complete front flip. Very large fish this year.


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## Ralph Smith (Apr 1, 2003)

tina said:


> I'm trying. How do I start to post pics?
> Before I forget almost every steelhead & lk run browns caught mid summer were caught on nothing more than a piece of crawler on a bottom rig.


I send pics from my phone to my email. Save them on my computer. Then go into my gallery and upload. Once there you can click on the pic to make large, and down beneath it is an


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## tina (Feb 14, 2010)

I can send pics to any site, person, or email. Not to this site though.


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## friZZleFry419 (Aug 21, 2007)

Are we saying rifle kings don't jump or salmon in general. Either way, just about every salmon I have ever seen or caught myself has jumped.


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## tannhd (Dec 3, 2010)

Damn. You guys def aren't bros.


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## fishinmachine2 (May 7, 2004)

They usually jump when they are hooked in the side!


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## chuckinduck (May 28, 2003)

fishinmachine2 said:


> They usually jump when they are hooked in the side!


Well this giant trebles hurt like a sob!!


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## Robert Holmes (Oct 13, 2008)

I have caught kings and steelhead out of the river in early August. I used to fish a spot where I would catch kings, steelies walleye, browns and big perch all summer long. It was fun because you always caught fish and you never knew what you would catch. I have caught big steelhead and browns out of the rifle all summer long so they are there.


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