How to describe the past few months? That's a hard thing to do. The river was, well, consistently inconsistent. Most days we got our shot but we had to work hard for them, something we are definitely used to on the North as they never come easy and that's what makes them so special. I'm searching my brain for the right word to describe it, I'll figure it out eventually. Stay tuned. The beauty of this place never takes a day off.

In a year with not as many fish around (and just as many anglers) and tough conditions, you had to be on top of your game and as stealthy as possible. Metal wading staffs were turned away (who thought that was a good idea anyway), not just "right" presentations were called to "bring it back" more so than usual, ha, crouching approaches, different casting positions and angles, etc, etc.

John Luis with a cracker of a hen. John is from the old guard on the "Lost Coast" and had taken 10yrs off from steelheading. You couldn't ask for a better comeback fish than this girl, well deserved John.

Steve Bury with his second on the dry. On only his second steelhead trip ever the man has got the soul most wish they had.

Notice the uncanny resemblance of this fishes face to that inked on Steve's forearm.

You also had to move, faster, move faster, take your steps, "naw, gimme one more step..." "more line....a lil'more" Cover the water and cover as much as you can in a day, in the best of light.

As with all good things, mostly they're are stumbled across. Not sure if this will last season to season but they were biting this year. While only landing a few, we hooked many. Talk about pull. "There ain't no nook", yeah I'm not saying that.

Brady Johnstone with another. This guy had and adipose the size of my fist, awesome creature.

Chris Marto, dealing with the feeling that comes after landing a steelhead that completely clears the water for you fly and then landing is. The guy gets it.

The image of Marto's fish etched in my memory and journal.

This brief moment, truthfully why I do it.

David Katz, nothing like your first on the dry and spey!

A wet, cool August day, sound good? Brady with a beauty.

Steelheading.

Perseverance, knowing you're going to hook one in every run and fishing it that way. A random, "here fishy fishy" ain't gonna cut it, never has.

Summer is on the way out. Hopefully taking the heat and smoke along with it, and the high sun too. Fall. Bringing more fish, cooler nights, shorter days, lower water temps and longer shadows.

I had a great time with all those that I got to fish with, looking forward to fishing again and to what the fall may or may not bring. How many steelhead seasons do we get, right?

Rich

My summer steelhead season starts the same way every year, a solo trip. Expectations are low as there are very few summer-runs in the system but there is always a chance, I'd go even if there wasn't. This is a trip to reconnect with the river after a few months of my "off season". This is one of my favorite trips of the year, not many anglers in their right minds are there and that's what I enjoy about it.

Most of the runs we fish in the summer are un-fishable during the winter. It's like re-uniting with an old friend you have'nt seen in a long time. Memories of fish from summers past haunt as the fly swims through the water "the..., that one that just exploded on the dry beyond the lip, that one porpoising after it compleatly missing and never to be seen again, the one that came for every change never to eat, that one frieght training it and leaving the pool and gone..." and so on. Funny how that old adage holds so true, you remember the ones that get away the most.

After taking a few months off from steelheading, there are definitely insecurities as well. "Will I even remember how to catch one?"

In my second run of the day, the river let me know I still do.

Reel screaming like a banshee trying to keep up with line peeling off into the depths downstream and catching a glimpse of a cartwheeling fish outta the corner of the eye upstream and knowing that's your fish, oh shit!, has to be one of the coolest moments in steelheading.

With so many great pools to fish, it's like catching lightning in a bottle...

This time of year, it has to do more with getting extremely lucky. Stepping into the right run at the right time. There are no magic pools, these fish are moving and moving fast. Luck is the name of the game. Catching lightning twice, yeah right, right?

Fishing a gaudy fly, even for me, I got a pluck-pluck and brought the fly back to check it out. Watched it swimming in the water and thought, "that is just too nasty for a fish to eat, can't beleive a trout even tried to." Changed to a more respectable fly of sorts...next cast...

Something happened with this fish that I don't see very often on the North, backing, lots of it. I've never had line escape my reel as fast as with this fish, no hesitation to leave the pool, it was instant. My reel literally smoked like a truck riding the brakes going down a steep pass, you could smell it, the S handle turned itself loose with the speed of the line, and was wobbling around while reeling, making strange noises. My left forearm became useless trying to keep up when she hesitated. Bo was freaking out. Over 200 yards later we tailed her in the shallows.

Anticipation is high for a good run this year. But reality is, is that it's too early to tell, very early...only time will...

On another, more serious note, time is running out to voice your opinion on the Pebble Mine situation.

While never fishing in Bristol Bay myself and not sure if I'll ever get to, I take great comfort in knowing there is a place where a salmon can be a salmon without our interfering with it, as should any fisherman/sportsman/anybody. This mine is for something that we as humans have placed value on, in the bigger picture salmon are invaluable to the earth and our existence. If you've taken the time to read this post, there's no excuse not to comment(it'll take less time to make your voice heard), you'll feel better having done it. If you're not convinced "Pebble" is a bad thing, watch this powerful video by Ryan Peterson then follow this link:

http://capwiz.com/savebristolbay/issues/alert/?alertid=62627501&PROCESS=Take+Action

sea-swallow'd from ryan peterson on Vimeo.

Rich & Bo

Here fishy, fishy

Ride the Lightning