# Bonus



## MDNRFD (Nov 18, 2008)

Fished my favorite stretch today and got this gal on some waxies. She came with a bonus. This is the first hen this fall that I have found with eggs.


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## creek trekker (Sep 18, 2008)

Awesome!!!!!!!!!


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## stinger63 (Nov 25, 2003)

Totaly awesome you hit the pot of gold


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## stinger63 (Nov 25, 2003)

Only problem is that you should have bled the fish before removing the eggs and or rinsed the eggs in the cold river water.With the blood those eggs will be ruined quick.


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## MDNRFD (Nov 18, 2008)

Well I rinsed them asap when I got home and did a quick boil I'm no pro at that but it seemed that they came out pretty descent.


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## Michigander1 (Apr 5, 2006)

MDNRFD said:


> Well I rinsed them asap when I got home and did a quick boil I'm no pro at that but it seemed that they came out pretty descent.


 Nice catch.I just started bleeding them last yr myself even though i dont use the eggs.It was unreal how much blood came out them fish.It made things alot easyier cleaning too,Mich


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## MDNRFD (Nov 18, 2008)

See how very little blood is in the picture? That is from following the cutting line that I made in the picture, You will get "Some" blood but to avoid the majority of the blood is avoid cutting right behing the pectoral fin. You can cut there but make sure that you cut stragiht down and the at a 90 degree angle along the spine. With this method you will get the rib cage bones in your filet but are easily removed once you get the filet on the cutting board. If you want exact instructions on how to clean the fish with avoiding the major arteries Pm me. As most have said I am crazy for doing it on my countertops as I agree if I had a masacre on my counter my wife would blow a hoot. But I can filet them relativley blood free. Less then a total half cup of blood on the board. I'm not a pro but I think its pretty good lol


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## MDNRFD (Nov 18, 2008)

Oh By the way,

Every and I mean every single fish I have caught this year, 10 so far have had shad in them ranging from 2 to 8 inches. The only other forage I have found in steel this year is the remanace of a crayfish (early season) and 1 Chub in a Buck. The rest is shad, no sign of nymphs , flies , minnows ,nothing.


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## Steelplugger (Mar 8, 2006)

Great looking fish! You are doing good this year  When I lived in an apartment last year, I used to have to clean fish in the kitchen. The wife hated it (especially after cleaning walleye) and I didn't blame her, it was nasty, and afterwards it always seemed I spent more time cleaning the kitchen than the fish... Thank god now that I actually have a house I can just clean them outside with a hose by my side, and the carcasses are gonna make a nice addition to my garden next year  btw, If those eggs aren't good for fishing, maybe you can make a tasty steelie omelette?:yikes:


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## stinger63 (Nov 25, 2003)

> If those eggs aren't good for fishing, maybe you can make a tasty steelie omelette?


You are reading my mind steelplugger I was going to sugest a wrap of bacon fried in butter until gold brown :corkysm55


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## MDNRFD (Nov 18, 2008)

I was thinking of covering them in super glue and making an ornament for my tree but the wife didn't like that to much :lol:


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## Blaketrout (Feb 9, 2000)

MDNRFD said:


> Oh By the way,
> 
> Every and I mean every single fish I have caught this year, 10 so far have had shad in them ranging from 2 to 8 inches.


That's a big reason why Erie tribs get the consistent fall runs of steel. Their favorite forage makes temperature runs at this time of year. Everything that eats shad will follow them upriver. Walleye, Musky, Pike, Steelhead, etc. It's kind of nice when they run the river to fatten up...


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## Michigander1 (Apr 5, 2006)

Blaketrout said:


> That's a big reason why Erie tribs get the consistent fall runs of steel. Their favorite forage makes temperature runs at this time of year. Everything that eats shad will follow them upriver. Walleye, Musky, Pike, Steelhead, etc. It's kind of nice when they run the river to fatten up...


 Steel Pike Musky all i have seen caught in the fall.All but Walleye.I never seen them caught this time of the yr.It would be nice but,Mich


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## MDNRFD (Nov 18, 2008)

Steel are known to spawn in the spring but it is not unheard of to see them spawn in the Fall. I know that the steel actively spawn in the rivers in discussion because I have seen it with my own eyes for over 6 hours one day. One of the nicest things I have ever seen.


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## MDNRFD (Nov 18, 2008)

I've also caught steel in the spring and seen nothing but flies in there gut too. Like a thousand or so lol


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## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

I think it depends on the river, what you'll find in a fall steelheads gut. I've taken October fish from the Au Sable that were PACKED with salmon eggs, including a hen one time that had 6 bright pink rubber eggs in her:lol:.....I've also found corn in a few fish during the winter from the A.


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## MDNRFD (Nov 18, 2008)

I agree, it all depends on the forage and what the heck they just decide to take. One skipper I caught this year seriously had everything from the river bottom in it. Stones, leaves , branch parts and I think what were the bony plates of a crawfish. 

I'm personally leaning towards hot dog chunks. lol


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