Category: From The Water

January is coming to a close. Surprisingly enough for a guy who absolutely loves winter steelheading, I’ve spent very little time on the water. To be honest the weather has been kind of all over the place to start the winter off. December cold snaps and what seemed like an unbelievable amount of early snow … Continue reading Bring on February

It’s a short list of fish that haunt my dreams, but it’s a list none the less. As fishermen we all have tales of the one that got away, but this is different. These are fish that when I close my eyes I envision. I awake in a cold sweat in the middle of the … Continue reading Ghosts of Steelhead Past

There is a strong possibility that I have found my steelheading kryptonite. You see, for research purposes I’m spending a fall, if not more, experimenting with color. I’ve been going completely scent free, focusing on the fact that steelhead are primarily sight feeders. It led me to using beads; a lot of beads. In fact … Continue reading Steelheading Kryptonite

I had no business being out there. The sun, despite its spring like warmth, had yet to begin melting away winter snow, but enticed me out of my winter slumber in search of open water fishing. More specifically in search of steelhead; steelhead that had been cooped up in small river holes for as long … Continue reading Loss (Of Rods and Trophies)

It was numbingly cold. For the moment I didn’t notice. I sat on the bank, wet and out of breath. My arm hurt. What just happened? The last few minutes ran through my head. I began to shiver. I don’t remember a time when I was ever this cold. By this time of year I’m … Continue reading While I Was Wading

Here we are, nearing the end of December, although we have yet to experience the transition to winter that we have come accustom to the last few years. Instead fall seems to refuse to let go. Any other year and I would be ecstatic to be steelheading in December with temps well above feezing. This … Continue reading Goodbye Fall

  Rivers around my neck of the woods have seen a lot more traffic this fall. As far as I’m concerned there is one simple reason: low water. Let me elaborate. The rivers that I frequent have a lot of flow, even in years like we’re having this year where water levels in general are … Continue reading Under Pressure

Suddenly it’s November. At one point it seemed like this time would never come. Although I’ve been catching fall steelhead for over a month now, November gets me particularly excited. At some point during the month the run is going to peak and the steelheading is going to be at its best. At least that’s … Continue reading Low and Clear: The struggles of a fall without rain

I’m cursed, of that I’m sure. Why? I couldn’t say. It’s not a permanent thing, nor is it a constant. It only occurs, in fact, when I invest in new gear. The new gear curse. What makes it really unfortunate is that I’m a gear head; I love having new things. It’s an odd thing … Continue reading Cursed

How long the old man had been standing there I don’t know. What tipped me off to his presence was the sudden, faint smell of cigar smoke. How he had managed to stand there undetected is a mystery. When I turned to greet him a simple nod was all I got. It was clear that … Continue reading Ugly Bug