Posted on May 21 2014
Would I…
Would I love steelhead as much if they were around 12 months of the year? In some places, the chance to take the rod to river with the expectation, or maybe the hope that a steelhead is around is a reality. But come inland, and we sit through a 4-5 month sabbatical and wait the yearly cycle of return to put the fish back into their natal rivers. It can seem like an eternity.
After a long season stretching from August and ending near March the next year, there’s a small feeling that you can stand a little break and your family could use you around more. Then, a month goes by and it you stare at your quiver of spey rods with lust as if they were unattached supermodels waiting for you to hit on them.
Trout are great, but they’re the appetizers to the real meal. Carp are dirty fun, and the toothy critters like Pike and Musky can hold attention for a while but let’s be honest, they’re all space fillers.
My guess is the break and breather summer steelhead provide us anglers of the Deschutes, Klickitat, Clearwater, Snake and Grande Ronde Rivers the ability to never burn out.
Vices turn year round, dam counts reviewed and analyzed, chat forums churn with battling opinions …..and when the magic number clears the myriad of dams and their knock, knock, knocking at your door…..sleep is an impossible endeavor the night before the first summer steelhead trip of the year.
original content Josh Mills