I had "hyped up" the guys on dry fly steelheading in BC with stories of aggressive wild steelhead that would often come to the surface multiple times on the swing, explosive rises to skaters, loaded runs that provided multiple hookups, etc. Memories from my prior trips were vivid in my mind and my excitement had rubbed off on Steve and Adrian. I prayed that our fishing would play out with at least some semblance of the surface steelhead success I had experienced on some of my prior trips to BC. Of course, there are no guarantees in steelheading and slow fishing for no apparent reason in what appear to be ideal conditions happens often enough wherever one chases these unicorns.
-Todd Hirano