The story of my first....

[Phunybonz]

day at sturgeon school.
Pilar was nice enough to give a rookie a few pointers and many words of wisdom. I went home with my first keeper on the first day of a new year. With a pole that I got to use for the first time (new). 4u2fish and Pilar definetly new thier stuff. All I did was do what they were doing, and I GOT BIT! The highlight of the day was when the master(Pilar) hooked into a keeper and told me too quit gawSoking and reel that pig in. That is when I truely learned, "THE BEND IS YOUR FRIEND". I could not have met these great fishermen without the help of our leader, Jennie. You have come along way in a year. Can't wait till the next party. Do we have to wait till summer?

[RW]

limit of salmon in only 20 minutes.
I bought this fishing trip at a fundraising auction at our firm. It was the first time I was really out on a "fishing boat", and had not one clue about what was going on. My "guide" was giving me instructions about what I was supposed to do, (we were trolling). I couldn't find bottom, I was long lining a mile. The "guide" finally told me to reel up so he could get me in order, well, low and behold a fish decided to commit suicide at that time. I reeled in a beautiful, bright, CHROMER hen of about 17#.

This poor guy is beside himself, he can't figure out how I pulled this off. He rigs up another cut plug, and here I go again. Screwing up again, I still didn't have a clue. The "guide" says I am dragging bottom and to reel up a crank or two. Well, low and behold, another fish decides to commit suicide. I reel in a beautiful, bright, CHROMER hen of about 23#. And you know what, we had only been fishing for about 20-30 minutes!!!

So now it is about 7:30 a.m. and I have my feet up on the dash board of his boat, teasing him!!!!! We finally finish fishing about 3:00 or so, and low and behold, he lands NOTHING! While he tried "reel" hard to get himself a fish, I drank beer and read a local fishing magazine.

The bad moral of the story is, I spent thousands of dollars trying to catch my next fish..... RW http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif p.s this is really a very true story.

[Kwiky]

.....steelhead.
I had a pole, I had a reel, I had the tackle, I had the books, I had the magazine articles. What I didn't have was a salmon or steelhead. After trying my luck a season or two on the local rivers, I figured my best bet was the Deschutes. The magazines made it sound like the fish would practically jump onto the bank at your feet there! Anyhow, I bought a map, loaded up my bike, a sleeping bag and some gear, and headed out one August Saturday afternoon. I arrived in the early evening at the campground, ate my sandwhich, and walked around admiring others' fish. Dark set in, so I started to tie up some hooks. What a pain in the rear to do by flashlight light. As I prepared to sleep, I realized I brought nothing to wake myself up with. That began a night of restlessness as I checked my watch every half an hour or so.

At about 3 am, I grabbed my backpack and fishing pole and headed down the trail on my bike. Figuring I would just ride until it got light enough to fish, I kept going and going and going and going. Flashlight finally gave out, so I kept going by starlight. After the longest bike ride of my life, I could barely make out the river below and figured that was good enough for me. I ditched the bike and headed down the side of the hill to the water. I started fishing a glo corkie (with nothing to charge it up), and on about the 3rd cast a felt an unfamiliar tug-tug-tug-tug. Oh my gosh, it was a fish. I set the hook and started crankin'. I reeled this little fella in so fast it wasn't even funny! Pulled it up on a little bit of bedrock, pounced on it, and gave it a few bonks. After subdueing this mighty 5 lber, I kept fishing for another 3 hrs or so (in the same spot of course) and didn't get another touch. I made it back up to my bike only to find one tire was flatter than a pancake. Did I pack a pump, patch, or spare tube? No way! To make a long story even longer, I finally made it back to the campground several hours later sunburned, tired, thirsty as all hell, ****** off - but prouder than heck of that (dried out) little fish I packed all the way back. A picture of that little guy still hangs proudly on my wall.

Kwiky


[This message has been edited by Kwiky (edited 01-03-2001).]

[Deleted User]

...and only landed steelhead.

I was about 17 and fishing with my father, a family friend, and the friend's son on Deep Creek. There were both silvers and steelies in at the time so the chances were good that something would accidentally swallow my corkie offering.

The other three went further upstream as I concentrated on stretches of water longer than they would. I'll fish the crap out of a stretch of water before I finally give in and move on, especially when the water looks like it might harbor fish.

I was standing just a little downstream of a single-lane bridge casting across to where some berry bushes had taken over the bank when I actually got a hit! I was shocked, but somehow had the presence of mind to set the hook. It wasn't a screaming run like I had seen so many times before on other rods, more of a decent tugfest. Once landed I discovered that this was a spawned out buck that was heading back to sea. As much as I wanted my first steelie to be something I could bring home, I knew that I could not. After a brief reviving he was returned to the stream.

I really haven't fished for steelhead much since. Not sure why, really. Just love the trout.

[THE REEL HEY_YALL]

Funny story RW.

My first steelie came on Aug. 23rd, 2000 (summer run of course). I was fishing my hole on the Cowlitz (yeah RT ya know the one) with my dad. I had my glob of eggs on my hook, and downstream I saw pooled up ********* and small rainbows. Of course they wouldn't leave my bait alone. So I lightened up my weight and casted out further. I kept getting tired of of the tap tap tap tappity tap of the *********/whitefish/rainbows, that I swore next tap I was setting the hook like a machine. Well sure enough it happened and I only had a booger-sized glob of eggs by this time so I knew the hook was well exposed. I set the hook, damn I'm hung, then splash, out flies the steelie. I think I was as shocked as she was, but I yelled fish on to my dad, and winded in like a banshee. The fish, still in shock, got beached and that's when it started fighting...lol Some guy from the boat launch yells "club that sucker" so then I realized "dummy club the fish." I picked up a log and whack, the stick broke, but then I found a small rock where I commenced to clubbing like there was no tomorrow. So exhausted, I was so proud of that 7.5 lb hen. It bit so light that I was lucky to be frustrated at the trash fish to set the hook. Great memory.

[Deleted User]

My first steelhead was on the Sandy river on January 15,1975. We hiked up the hill to the Pipeline drift but didn't have any luck there so we got back on the trail until we came to this big deep hole that I think was called the blue hole or maybe even the Girl Scout hole it had a sandy beach. I had just built my very first rod and had gotten a 5000 Ambassadeur at Ollie Damon. Very first cast and I had a fish on! It actually fought pretty well and when I landed it I was over joyed! It was about a 7 lb. hen and was a little dark but it was a moment I'll never forget.

------------------
Bigstew-----
RT and I were separated at birth

[SteelieSteve]

bigstew... I too have hiked in there and fished those holes on the Sandy... hooked a few fish and found the hike out a bit tiring packing a fish. Best left to the young and mobile I did meet a old boy who lived on top of the hole who fished it regular and caught many fish there. Overall that was a nasty canyon to hike out of.

[4u2fish]

Well Phunnybones I am glad that you had a good time that is what it is all about (4U2FISH) hopefully we will fish together again soon...

.....The story of my first

UM I can't remember my first but I will tell you a story anyway. I grew up in Northern Wa. State and we had a stream/crick running through our property which started at a beaver dam. Well although the stream was unfishable in most places there were pocketts that regurally yielded 12" trout. Which to me being 7 or 8 were good sized fish. That was the stream that I tought my younger brother and sister to fish in. We used to go to the barn yard (no offense intended) and get worms from under whatever we could turn over. Then off to the stream we went. The neighbor used to plant salmon smolt in the beaver pond and on one accasion I can recall watching them spawn in there with my mother.

Well that stream doesn't exist anymore and there are no fish to catch there. I guess that that bed and breakfast was just realy important....

That is where my love for fishing came from
and I hope that I can continue to share it with all of you...

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AKC H2O-K9

[This message has been edited by 4u2fish (edited 01-03-2001).]

[Bait O' Eggs]

It was after a high school dance, she was a long lean blonde with a body as hard as a bowling ball. We had been walking on the beach when we found a place to sit for a while ....

Oh wrong story.

[Deleted User]

took longer than I thought it would http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Edit: to land my first fish that is ... not love stories

[This message has been edited by RT (edited 01-03-2001).]

[Navigator]

Summer steelhead.

Rogue River. On a fly. Small (22") but beautiful. Wild. Released. Hadn't been fishing more than 10 minutes. 9 hours later after a long beautiful day on the river, still only one fish (though several missed). A friend from work floated me that day. Thanks.

[THE REEL HEY_YALL]

Now BOE, you know Osprey or myself would have jumped all over this one, but lemme tell ya it was hard restraining myself, good luck fending off the hatemail because I am sure you offended someone out there. Now my question BOE, was that a bowling ball with you on the beach, and did you go to the beach at 2 with a 10, wake up at 10 with a 2? Ask O, he has some scary memories. http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[This message has been edited by hey_yall (edited 01-04-2001).]

[Bait O' Eggs]

Hey_yall
It wont be the first time I ticked somebody off on this board. And they can send all the hate mail they want.

And maybe in a few years if the planets all line up you will have a story to tell. http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

I doubt osprey has any 10 and 2 stories.

[OR Coast Range]

black tail buck.

I was hunting a few miles west of Vernonia, and I had been sitting on my stand all morning long. All that I had seen was a doe and her fawn pass by me (they must have come to within 10 feet of me and they never saw me).

My stand overlooked a pretty big canyon that had been logged the year before. There was a very small stream that ran through the bottom of the canyon, so there was a line of scrub down the middle of the canyon.

Well, come 9:00 I was pretty damn cold, so I jumped off of my stump and clumped around a little making some noise. I saw movement out of the corner of my eye and looked up and saw a big bodied forken horn trotting up the other side of the canyon heading for a tree line.

He was heading diagnally away from me and was probably 100 yard away from the tree line. If I was going to take the shot, it was going to be about 150 yard shot with a 243 with open sites. Not very good odds.

But, being young and extremely excited I took the shot anyways. I dropped him with my first shot! I couldn't believe it!

But then he jumped back up and really headed for the tree line. He was no longer trotting, his body was streamlined and he was closing fast.

Now at this point I knew several things. 1) I did hit him. I saw him fall. 2) If he made that tree line he was gone. Even though I knew I hit him, he wasn't slowed down at all. If he made that tree line, then he was going to run off somewhere and die.

So I emptied my magazine at him. My 243 holds 4 shots in the magazine and I probably emptied it in 5 seconds. I knew that I was too excited and I was screwing up, but I couldn't stop myself.

I reloaded 2 shots in about 5 seconds and told myself to calm down and make them count.

My first shot missed.

I said a quick prayer and took my last shot. He went down for the count with my last shot.

After I walked up on him, I learned that my first shot broke his lower jaw. If he would have made that treeline, he would have ran forever until probably dieing of starvation or thirst.

[drifter]

Molalla River,
Mepps Spinner,
Berkley Fiberglass Rod,
Mitchell 300? Reel,
Rubber Hip Waders
Native, semi-dark Steelhead (that I kept)

IT'S AMAZING HOW THINGS HAVE CHANGED. http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif
Drifter.

[Barnyard]

Phunybonz, 4U2fish, Pilar....Sorry for the drunken display....Not the normal me...Hope to fish with ya again soon...Barn

[RichH]

steelhead,

1977, early Feb on the Rogue(grew up down there) tossing a woblerite in about five feet of water in a slick behind a big rock, started to reel in when it just stopped. Jerked that little Zebco for all it was worth when out of the water comes 21" of chrome!!About peed my pants and ran all the way home to show the folks. By the way, do I need a tag for this?

------------------
Rich H

[Pilar]

Hey Barn! As far as I know, attendance to anything on New Years morning is optional, you know with the prevelance of alcohol poisoning and all. If I had felt 1/2 as bad as you looked I would have stayed home and slept all day.

But you didn't, you went fishing. It must be something you really like to do to go at it in that state. You let your buddies carry you and wet your line anyway. That makes you OK in my book. You've got sand, friend and you can fish with me anytime!

The bend is your friend!

[SteelieSteve]

Steelhead... 1978, Mollala Riiver, glass rod and a spinning reel, corkie and eggs, Spawner(aren't they all in the Mo?).

[First Bite]

Okay I'll bite...First Steelhead:
Several years ago I was fishing the Wilson for trout in the middle of the summer. I was using a homemade spinner that was given to me by a friend. I had caught a nice sea-run the week before on this spinner so I thought I'd try it again. I was fishing water that was about two to three feet deep when I made a terrible cast that went way too far up river. I started a fast retrieve right through this riffle water and this suicidal Summer hit the spinner so hard it about jerked the pole from my hand. She went nuts for about three minutes, jumping and tearing off line like crazy. Finally I got her to the shore and tried to lift her out of the water. My line snapped when I had just cleared the water. I immediately threw down my pole and grabbed at the fish. It took about three attempts before I pinned down the hatchery hen. She was absolutely mint and around 8 pounds.

That opened my eyes to the world of Steelheading and I never looked back.
Tight Lines
Mark

[Fishin Magician]

Steelhead-1987 , Wilson river , In August , On a nightcrawler and no weight with a $20.00 mitchell rod and reel combo. I fished all morning and like most other days no fish. Then I saw a handful of steelhead in the tailout and threw out to them and one came up and I watched it take it!!!!!! I set the hook and it launched eye level out of the water. After 5 or so minutes I landed it and tagged my first steelhead. My gear was so spun up from not having a swivel that I had to go home.....That wasn't so bad I guess. Next day I got two and haven't shaken the bug since http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif John

[HOGTIDE]

In 1972 I was a sophomore in high school and had a teacher that was so cool that he would take us Fishin!( These days he'd probably be arrested for being nice.) We hiked up a big roaring river to a place called the 'FenceLine'. Swatting grasshoppers out in the sagebrush, we threaded them onto a long shanked hooks and cast them into a fast slick with trout-sized spinning rods.

My first steelhead exploded from the water and made that little mitchell scream like she'd never screamed before. At 16 years old, 'I' was hooked.

I returned and returned and returned... That was 28 years ago and I still return.

[WheresMyBobber]

....steelhead on a fly:

* 10-11 years ago
* First time fly fishing for Steelhead
* 6-7 weight home made Lamiglass rod
* Sinking tip line, black & purple Teeny nymph
* West Fork Hood River
* Long day, last hole, getting tired
* All of the sudden....WHAM, big steelhead peeling off line headed downstream, had no idea how to stop it
* Finally landed it, 12 pound hatchery buck
* Been hooked on fly fishing for steelhead ever since
* Too bad they closed that section of river though http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/frown.gif

[Deleted User]

FIRST RAW OYSTER 1/4/01
At Oysters of the West in Bay City. I thought this must be what swallowing your own tongue is like. I put some lemon and too much cocktail sauce on it then down it went.
Actually it wasn't too bad. http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by bigstew (edited 01-04-2001).]

[Deleted User]

At least you got it down 'Stew. My first jumbo raw oyster experience was less successful. I was somewhere around 10 or 12 and my Dad and big bro goaded me into trying to swallow one of these ugly slimmy booger lookin things w/o anything on it. It got about halfway down and triggered a hard gag response and I cough-hurled it about half way across the kitchen. Yuke. I'll take mine deep fried. - RT

[THE REEL HEY_YALL]

RT, and the other oyster tryer, if you make it down to Florida, espcially the panhandle or the west side of Florida, try those oysters raw. You put condiments on your oysters? Only thing I have ever put on mine, if I ever do, is tabasco or lemon, but mostly tabasco as I likes em spicy. I have seen people put them on crackers and put ketchup on them too while on the cracker, that way is pretty good too. What you guys call good crab and oysters just isn't so. I tried my first dungeness crab 3 days ago and I was disappointed. It's all right, but I'll take a blue crab or an alaskan king crab over dungeness any day of the week.

[rags]

I went to Larry's in Oregon City and bought a Wright McGill rod with a Quick spinning reel. They sold me a handfull of Oakie Drifters, put line on my reel and some lead. I went to the Wilson and fished all day with now luck. That next week at work I was telling some guys about my unsuccessful trip when someone from the back of the office asked if I was bouncing the bottom of the river? No, my lure was just skimming across the top of the water like a fly and nothing took it. After a few chuckles a great fisherman named Carl Burke asked if I wanted to go again? He picked me up that weekend about 3:00am and as I walked out of me house I noticed a funny looking boat he was pulling behind his 55 Chevy truck. Driftboat? We put his boat in the Wilson behind the guide shop and he showed me how to put a hotshot out. We were using flyrods with 15# line and green hotshots. It was about 5 minutes latter and I was fighting a 17lb. bright winter buck on a flyrod. After I landed it to say the least I have been hooked ever since. I hate to age myself but that was 1970. Bought one of those funny looking boats and have been fishing ever since.

[Pilar]

Hey_Yall, lets go to Appalatchicola (SP?) and get a bushel bag full of oysters. Just like my Grandpa raised in East bay. Crab?, I agree, nothing beats a steamed blue crab or a fried softshell.

But you are not in Kansas anymore Todo and when in Rome, do like the natives...........


The bend is your friend!

[Osprey]

Thanks BOE
Ah nothing like fresh Oysters on the beach real men don't need to add nothin http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif
I got started on this one late,or I would have jumped all over the topic like a Redheaded CheerLeader,but I wanted to see what direction this was headed,so I'll try and stick to fishing http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif

First Steelhead March 1st 1969 I was 10,Nisqually river a pink Oakie and a big smile,Fish looked Like 50 lbs but was closer to 10,Never forget the look on Dads face http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif

My other first ...Hell I can't even remember my last http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Hey Yall do relatives count?(just trying to help you out so at least you could have some input for the topic) http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif

.....Os

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Row quietly and fish a Cataraft !!---
Release all Wild Fish --<'))>><

[This message has been edited by Osprey (edited 01-05-2001).]

[Tanner]

Steelhead,
Headed out of work early to meet a buddy of mine at the mouth of Tanner Creek right below Bonneville Dam. There were three guys that had been there all day and hadn't had any action. I set my chair next to the water, put the lead on the dropper and cast my spin and glow about 15 ft out from the bank. Then I took a sixe 30 blue pirate hot shot on a 2' leader with a snap swivel and slid it down my line. The three guys that were there all started to chuckle at the thought of me sliding a hot shot down my line. I sat down in my chair, reached for a soda, but never got to open it. My rod was going down hard. After about a 15 minute fight, I landed a chrome bright 17lb hatchery hen. Those guys chuckles soon turned into disgusted scowels.

By the way, that has nothing to do with my BB username believe it or not. I have had the name Tanner since I was a baby. It's not my legal name but it is what I go by. It is even printed on my business card. Kind of ironic that I caught my first steelhead at the mouth of Tanner Creek. The more ironic part was I had been steelhead fishing for three years before that and had never got one. This was the first time I had ever fished there.

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Work is for people who have an expensive fishing habit to support.

[Drifty]

Well I finaly boated my first steelhead on 12/28/00 on the clack. He was 28" and bright. Im hooked for good now!

[STRIKE ZONE]

My first was 16 years ago,My fishin partner and I had went down to fish the nasty
because an old neighbor told us that there was very large steelhead in there.We gave it the old college try and headed for home,on the way back to Renton my buddy ask if I wanted to hit the green or puyallup for an hour.I said lets try the puyallup.Pulled up to the gravel bar in town,it was a drifting hole that I was going to plunk,don't ask I was young and dumb.Put on the biggest pink/pearl spin glo already pre tied with the treble on and the biggest sand shrimp we had,and a 6oz sinker.Casted right in the middle of the river then set rod in between the front bumper and the grill with the big cow bell on.With in 10 minutes my rod went off and I had landed my first Washington state steelhead.It was a 10 pound chrome bright hen,native that I bonked of coarse.
Good luck, STRIKE ZONE


I had landed three steelhead before this one but it was in Oregon on a zipper lip.Probley
can't even fish there any more.

[Deleted User]

My first Deschutes experience.

A few years back my father-in-law decided it was time for me to 'learn to fish the Deschutes'. I guess he felt that it was the least he could do since I had just moved myself and his lovely daughter back into the small eastern Oregon community where she grew up. I think he felt a bit obligated. Anyway, we were up way too early on a July morning by my summer fishing standards. I asked if I needed waders - he said they were optional and I 'opted' not to bring any. First mistake. He opted to wear his. When we arrived at the river I immediately found that I had also forgot to bring my backpack - or, he forgot to tell me that, too, as we begin a 'short' two-mile hike up the river. During the walk, a very distressed man nearly ran us over coming the opposite direction He stopped momentarily and simply said, "It took all my backing..... I can't believe it took all my backing....." And he kept walking, holding up his fly rod, minus any sort of line on his reel. My first thought was, who took his backing? What a poor practical joke by someone...

To make a long story short, we finally arrived at 'the spot' according to my father-in-law. I soon realized that I should've opted to bring my waders. I got in the river about 100 yards above my father-in-law and was only wading up to the top of my leg, no higher if you know what I mean. I could hardly stand it anyway as the water in July, in the Deschutes, isn't exactly cool. I later found that many steelhead headed for other rivers enter the Deschutes to cool off, and now I knew why. As I was casting my spinner at daybreak, an unbelievable sight caught the corner of my eye - some sort of bird was diving in and out of the water where my father-in-law was standing. Upon another look, it was a fish! This fish was jumping out of the water at least six feet in the air! And it just kept jumping! I had never seen a steelhead jump like that in my life! As I kept watching the spectacle with my father-in-law below me, suddenly my rod jerked so hard that I nearly fell into the river - I remember this quite well because water splashed over the top of my hips as I recoiled from the shock and I was a saprano momentarily. After I quickly recovered from the shock of both my rod being hit and the cold sensation to my future generations, I had my own aereal disply right in front of me. Unbelievable. I had never seen such an acrobatic display in my life put on by a fish. And the only comparable violent hit I had ever had like that was chinook fishing in the ocean. After about a ten minute fight I released the summer native and went to the shore to both warm up and cool down. I was nearly in shock from both the fish and the cold water!

Since that July day, I've made it back to the Deschutes a countless number of times, of course with waders, a backpack, and a good mt bike. And my father-in-law!

To me, nothing can beat summer steelhead fishing on the Deschutes. I guess it all boils down to marrying the right gal!

[Deleted User]

My first Deschutes experience.

A few years back my father-in-law decided it was time for me to 'learn to fish the Deschutes'. I guess he felt that it was the least he could do since I had just moved myself and his lovely daughter back into the small eastern Oregon community where she grew up. I think he felt a bit obligated. Anyway, we were up way too early on a July morning by my summer fishing standards. I asked if I needed waders - he said they were optional and I 'opted' not to bring any. First mistake. He opted to wear his. When we arrived at the river I immediately found that I had also forgot to bring my backpack - or, he forgot to tell me that, too, as we begin a 'short' two-mile hike up the river. During the walk, a very distressed man nearly ran us over coming the opposite direction He stopped momentarily and simply said, "It took all my backing..... I can't believe it took all my backing....." And he kept walking, holding up his fly rod, minus any sort of line on his reel. My first thought was, who took his backing? What a poor practical joke by someone...

To make a long story short, we finally arrived at 'the spot' according to my father-in-law. I soon realized that I should've opted to bring my waders. I got in the river about 100 yards above my father-in-law and was only wading up to the top of my leg, no higher if you know what I mean. I could hardly stand it anyway as the water in July, in the Deschutes, isn't exactly warm. I later found that many steelhead headed for other rivers enter the Deschutes to cool off, and now I knew why. As I was casting my spinner at daybreak, an unbelievable sight caught the corner of my eye - some sort of bird was diving in and out of the water where my father-in-law was standing. Upon another look, it was a fish! This fish was jumping out of the water at least six feet in the air! And it just kept jumping! I had never seen a steelhead jump like that in my life! As I kept watching the spectacle with my father-in-law below me, suddenly my rod jerked so hard that I nearly fell into the river - I remember this quite well because water splashed over the top of my hips as I recoiled from the shock and I was a saprano momentarily. After I quickly recovered from the shock of both my rod being hit and the cold sensation to my future generations, I had my own aereal disply right in front of me. Unbelievable. I had never seen such an acrobatic display in my life put on by a fish. And the only comparable violent hit I had ever had like that was chinook fishing in the ocean. After about a ten minute fight I released the summer native and went to the shore to both warm up and cool down. I was nearly in shock from both the fish and the cold water!

Since that July day, I've made it back to the Deschutes a countless number of times, of course with waders, a backpack, and a good mt bike. And my father-in-law!

To me, nothing can beat summer steelhead fishing on the Deschutes. I guess it all boils down to marrying the right gal!

[Mr. Fisherman]

images/icons/smile.gif