the upper river that just destroyed me. Probably a 14-15lb hen-- tail walked up the entire pool and broke me off on my Mitchell 300. In disbelief I wondered, “What was that?!” From that point on I was just insane for steelhead and couldn’t get enough of it.
In your previous books it seems as though you’ve had a chance to fish with just about everybody. I’m curious. Who is the best steel header you ever fished with?
…I know that is quite the loaded question!
Well, you would have to put Harry Lemire up there. But most of the time the best fisherman I have fished with were guides. It is still that way. They will know the river that they guide on better than any average dude will ever know. They are astonishing casters, and know the water intimately.
Anybody in particular stand out?
“Of the guides? No, not in particular.” There are a couple of guides that work for Jack (Mitchell) that are phenomenal. I really didn’t use guides much because I didn’t have the money.
Actually, when I wrote Bluewater Fly Fishing, I didn’t have the money, either. I just got lucky. Everything just fell into place. I missed a flight out of the jungle in Columbia and there were two crazy French guys that
want a beater… Besides, you may have to sleep in it."
Now, his future was out there before him. He did not know what would unfold but the tinny sound of the engine and the sensation of being low to the ground told him that he had found the perfect ride to carry him, his Orvis Western series rod, Dan Bailey waders, Simms boots and camping gear to hopefully some of the finest stretches of salmon water in Scotland.
After relieving a starving student at Stirling Uni of this little piece of English automotive history, the idea was to head out, first to the Western Scottish Islands and the Isle of Skye where salmon make relative short runs from the ocean into inland lochs. Then follow the coast north to explore the Inver and the Kirkaig rivers because he had read they were wild and remote and hard to fish. Then circle back down the spine of Scotland to the South, ending the 2 month odyssey with the possibility of getting on the Spey, the Dee or the Esk (North or South). But there really was no set agenda and other than buying a cheap used car, he had not prepared very well, if at all. Chick called him on it during their call the night before Mike left. "You're winging this trip aren't you?"