North 40 Fly Shop eMagazine October 2015 | Page 18

them into being neighbors. So the Kings
that would not bite our flies were stressing
out the steelhead, so they would not bite
our flies either. If you are paying attention
so far, I’ve worked in at least seven good
excuses for not catching steelhead. As a fly
fishing steelheader, you are going to need a
quiver of good excuses.
In afternoon desperation, I rigged up the 8wt
with a Skagit Compact and a 15’ type 8 tip to
try for a King. I quickly hooked a boulder
and said goodbye to a special fly. It was
the last fly I’d used to land a King Salmon in
Alaska. I’ve carried it around in my rig since
last June, glancing at it every day and reliving
that fish. I took a deep calming breath and
tied on another fly. I would have loved to
have caught a King on it.