Tuesday December 21, 2021; 7:48 AM EST
- Mary Ann and I are on our annual holiday trip to the Dosewallip River and we have fresh steelhead on the menu! Yesterday was a good day- I got lucky, and managed to catch my limit right off the bat. It has been way too long since I last did so, but then it has been awhile since I worked hard at fishing for steelhead.
The reason is simple- too many fisherman, and too few fish. I feel sorry for the fish- not the fisherman! Up in Washington State, most of the steelhead rivers are closed for fishing due to poor fish counts. As a consequence, my good friend Travis Reeves, his wife Maddy (5 months pregnant) and I hired a couple of young native guides to take us on the Quinalt Reservation on the west side of the Olympic Pinninusla. The tribe has a strong hatchery system and natives can make a little extra money guiding. I make it a general rule to not hire guides- but this was the exception to the rule that felt right, and I was happy to pay these two young native guides- and eat fresh Steelhead again. That makes for a very happy camper!#
Tuesday December 21, 2021; 7:48 AM EST
- Mary Ann and I are on our annual holiday trip to the Dosewallip River and we have fresh steelhead on the menu! Yesterday was a good day- I got lucky, and managed to catch my limit right off the bat. It has been way too long since I last did so, but then it has been awhile since I worked hard at fishing for steelhead. The reason is simple- too many fisherman, and too few fish. I feel sorry for the fish- not the fisherman! Up in Washington State, most of the steelhead rivers are closed for fishing due to poor fish counts. As a consequence, my good friend Travis Reeves, his wife Maddy (5 months pregnant) and I hired a couple of young native guides to take us on the Quinalt Reservation on the west side of the Olympic Pinninusla. The tribe has a strong hatchery system and natives can make a little extra money guiding. I make it a general rule to not hire guides- but this was the exception to the rule that felt right, and I was happy to pay these two young native guides- and eat fresh Steelhead again. That makes for a very happy camper!#