Birthday Fish

Josh and I have long talked about getting on the water together to go out and chase after steelhead. The stars aligned, and we could finally get out on a float on the storied lower section of the Deschutes. I have fished this river many times but never saw the "Holy Land," as some would call it.

 During our pilgrimage to Macks Canyon, Josh and I talked about some water we were going to fish and what to expect. At some point in the drive, I had mentioned to the Fly Czar that I have never hooked a truly "hot" fish, where they take the fly, and before you know it, you are immediately deep into your backing. He looks over and grins. Shortly after, we finally made it to the boat ramp and pushed downriver to our first camp of the two-day float. We finally make it to camp and settle in with an excellent nightcap and offering to the fishing gods.

The following day, we were up dark early, eager to put on our waders to fish the camp water before we set off. The morning started a little slow, with only one interaction between us (Josh). As we push downriver, I am in just awe of the stunning beauty of the scenic canyon as the sun begins to poke through, lighting up the steep draws and rocky cliffs. With his keen eye, Josh pointed out Big horned sheep, eagles, and all types of wildlife. I was grinning from ear to ear and couldn't wait to see what awaited us downriver.

In a past conversation, I mentioned to Josh my fascination with some of the iconic runs I had read about in books. One of those runs was "Steely Flats", which Lani Waller made famous in his video "Fishing for Trophy Steelhead." This run is nostalgic for me because of all the times I watched this video and would crack up laughing when I heard Lani yell, "Steely!" This was a run that I had thought about for a long time, and I was so happy I was finally able to swing a fly through that beautiful run.

The start to the following day left us less optimistic, as the typical mid-day-afternoon wind had already picked up before the sun had even poked out. Even with conditions not ideal, our confidence had not wavered. As we pull into our first run, I ask Josh, "Are you ready for your birthday fish? You're due." He giggles and says I have not gotten one out of here in a couple of years. Not long after I had fished the first initial pass, I heard the sweet song of Josh's click and paw reel. I first see the fish peeling line to the middle of the river, then, in an instant, I see this massive hen do several acrobatic body slams across the river from us. We look at each other and say, "I think we will need the net."  After a brief tug-of-war battle, we finally got on the board and couldn't be more stoked. Finally, on the board.

After the celebration, we continued to push down the river and pulled into one of the last runs of the day. I'm not going to lie; I felt the pressure.  The wind was very challenging that day; however, after getting a couple of casting tips from Josh, I finally got a proper swing. As I swing into the "bucket," I feel my line stop in the middle of the river and start pulling. As the line begins to vibrate, I set the rod to the bank, and before I even realize it, I'm immediately into my backing. My Hardy Perfect starts to scream like I've never heard it before. In seconds, the fish had jumped three times and made multiple long runs. After a couple more jumps, the line went slack. The fish had won. As I reeled up my line, Josh came over smiling and asked, "Was that the hot fish you were looking for?" I couldn't help but laugh and say, "That was it."