Do you have a most memorable fish from the river?
Yes. My first summer run steelhead. It was about ten pounds, a wild and chrome bright male. I’d never hooked a fish that fast, or that strong. It grabbed the fly at the edge of some fast water, and took off downstream like a rocket. It was a classic slam and jam take. That fish was far into my backing before my brain even registered that I had a fish on. It took about twenty minutes to land. It was an early arriving fish in July and as hot as the summer weather. I was shaking when it was all over. That fish barely had a hint of rose color on its gill plates. It was one of the most beautiful things I’d ever seen. Once I landed it, it laid in my hands while I revived it. I’d never felt so connected to something so magical and powerful. I still get that feeling, even after having hooked a couple thousand steelhead.