Here is the love-lost story behind the steelhead with a wedding ring on it, caught on Jim Nelligan’s “Grey Lion II” Friday.

Capt. Jason Rose about to release a steelhead with his wedding ring on it on May 4 in Michigan; it was recaught June 21 off the north suburbs of Chicago.

Love lost, a wedding ring released and a steelhead recaught miles away on the other side of Lake Michigan. Sheez, there are so many pieces to the tale of the steelhead with the ring on its tail.

“I really just didn’t want to cause any issues with my ex, she seems to find the story somewhat amusing and none of us can believe someone caught it!’’ Capt. Jason Rose messaged.

As a cathartic move, Rose tied his wedding band to a steelhead on May 4 and released it near the port of Whitehall, Michigan.

The wedding ring being attached to a steelhead, before being released May 4, 2019 in Michigan, before being recaught June 21, 2019 near the R4 buoy off Chicago’s north suburbs.

Provided by Capt. Jason Rose

Of all improbabilities, the steelhead was recaught Friday, June 21, by a group of fishermen aboard Jim Nelligan’s “Grey Lion II” by the R4, a famous buoy east of Chicago’s north suburbs. They were fishing for lake trout with four colors of leadcore line with a Blue Dolphin spoon in 105 feet of water.

Joe Penar caught the fish with John Massard netting it. Bob Nichols filled out the boat.

“So, we caught this steelhead today,” Nelligan emailed Friday. “Someone attached their wedding ring to this fish and we caught it. Wonder if it was a divorce or death, but a crazy story!”

Close guess by Nelligan.

“Yeah, lost love,” Rose messaged. “I was married for the better part of a decade. My ex wife and I decided to go our separate ways.

“I am a fishing guide, she was always against me following my dreams and hated how much I fished.

“Four years went by since our divorce. I felt I needed to get rid of that ring but I didn’t want to just toss it to the bottom, pawn it or any of that kind of thing. So I released it the best way I know how.

“I am convinced that ring is cursed,” Rose concluded. “My life has been nothing less than great since I released it.”

The steelhead with a wedding ring attached to the tail, released in Michigan on May, 2019, was recaught on June 21, 2019 on Jim Nelligan’s “Grey Lion II” at the R4 buoy off Chicago’s north suburbs.

Provided by Jim Nelligan