North 40 Fly Shop eMagazine February 2016 | Page 15

The power of the steelhead
goes way beyond the time you spend in the water,
hoping that the next cast is the one. It makes
you gravitate towards some amazing people and
organizations you can align with, allowing you to
forge amazing friendships that last a lifetime. Plus,
the opportunity to mentor others as you grow is
there. Conservation organizations, like the Wild
Steelhead Coalition, are out there to graciously
accept your volunteer hours and, if you’re so lucky,
financial support
I hope I never find the bottom of this rabbit hole.
So, back to the initial battle.
The cheap seats kept sending their opinions on
how I was fighting the fish. They said it was all in
good fun, but I wasn’t so sure.
It was the first time in a long time where I viscerally
wanted to land the fish. It was the connection point
from that first day on the hunt for steelhead. The
same crew was together. Now, our guide was our
great friend, a person I credit, aside of my father,
for lighting this fire. Old Man River was there as
always, giving his 2 cents on the situation and this
time, taking the picture.
These are two very proud moments in my life,
separated by 14 years. The path of those 14 years
makes me so excited to see what can happen with
the rest of my life as a steelhead advocate. 

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