What this Midwest guy found upon arrival lived up to (and often exceeded) every one of my expectations. From the hospitality of the locals, who not only showed us around their favorite home waters but also put us up in their homes for several days, to the beauty of the waters and fish we encountered.
We fished rivers in three different states over the course of the week, each one having its own charms. As stated earlier, I fished the two-hander exclusively and swung flies that I had tied up myself in the days leading up to the trip. To my surprise I ended up having considerably more success than a total newb to steelhead fishing can hope to expect. I didn’t have any multiple fish days but I managed to end the trip with five steelhead to hand over the course of the week. With the right attitude single fish days are just as rewarding, or even more so, than those times when you lose count of fish caught. Fishing for steelhead is definitely one of those situations where a single fish landed is reason enough to lean the rod up against a tree, light that good cigar you’ve been saving for just the right moment and crack open that cheap half warm can of beer you’re carrying in your pack. Getting the opportunity to share that feeling with a group of guys who appreciate it as much as you do is something that I won’t soon forget.
Needless to say, my next steelhead trip is already taking shape, even if the planning is all in my head. I can foresee this being an itch that I’ll have to scratch at least once a year for the foreseeable future, so if anyone happens to live in steel country and happens to have an extra bed for a week…….