North 40 Fly Shop eMagazine December 2016 | Page 46

The first casts with any new spey rod are always
a learning experience, and when your line
unexpectedly gets ripped off the reel by a steelhead
on your fifth cast, you’ll quickly find out how the
rod performs under pressure. As I brought the fish
to hand, I could see its adipose fin glowing in the
morning light. This steelhead was going to continue
on its journey back to his origin.
Content with my new rod and my first steelhead
of the season, I continued to make my way upriver
to meet Tyler, Blake, and Ryan. When I arrived at
the run, I was greeted by a deer crossing the river. I
frantically got out my camera to take some pictures
of the little buck as he made his way up the bank.

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After capturing the moment, I grabbed all of my
gear and began the short hike into the run. Good
steelhead runs aren’t hard to find on the Ronde
because there’s usually a well-worn trail leading
the way. As I crossed the berm, I could see my
friends lined up in the water and two hatchery fish
gleaming in Blake’s net resting on the bank. I knew
at that moment this was going to be a memorable
trip.
For the next three days, we enjoyed the scenery,
had a lot of laughs, and caught some fish. This
rendezvous was a good reminder for me not to get
so caught up in everyday life that you lose sight of
what really matters. Family, f