As Im packing for the 22^nd Fall Steelhead guide season, I cant seem to shake the idea that it may be our last. I just read an article by Mia Shepard that sums up how we (as Steelheaders) should treat a low return of steelhead, it’s a great read and inspirational.
How will anglers react in the future is worrisome to me. Many are already shaming other anglers in social media platforms; will the cancel culture infect the basic “IDEA” of sport fishing? Will managers continue on a path of giving up to special interests and there often misplaced ideals?

In many past seasons we relish the thought of changing seasons with great optimism of how the run will go. Now with Dam fish counts it takes away from that feeling of “wonder” that’s being replaced by virtue signaling responses from every wannabe IG influencer on the west coast. I’m sure they go fishing anyway, on rivers now displaced from anglers that fear un- friending’s; the ones still wearing a mask on the river, that’s them!

What I hope is that anglers look into alternate fishing they have thought about or done in the past and go for it. Treat the low return in Fall 2021 as an opportunity to break out the Trout Spey, or the fall bass popper rod. Go fish a lake, the sound, a mountain stream. We must keep vigilant and eyes on the prize (HOME WATERS) or those runs will be taken away from the sports fishermen. The way of too MANY Washington river systems that never open again. We are leaning that way on the Elwha now. We closed a great wilderness trout fishery in the idea of wild Salmon and Steelhead recovery.  With the hope of Salmon and steelhead retuning into pristine wilderness and we now have a lifetime science project and another Tribal only Fishery. If you look into the Puget Sound Rivers management you will find this same thing playing out, different but yet the same. Steelhead Science projects and Tribal only fishing on what is left of wild/hatchery runs. Sate brood stock hatcheries are all planned and waiting on funding, let’s hope those urban areas get some budget relief. Never forget the fish and the social benefits they offer every generation of society.

Enough of speculation and remorse..

Get to fishing! I’m scaled way back on fall steelhead and may not use a hook with a point. It won’t stop me from anticipating the take, the tug and drop or maybe even get a jump.  I bought circle hooks to try and see what happens there too.

The Chinook runs look good and I assume a few of those will interrupt my swing. I rarely target Salmon but this season may be different, they will bite a swung fly and when they do there’s no mistaking it!

Im booking trout trips way into November on the Yakima this season and frankly look forward to more Trout Spey and doing a little Salmon Enhancement. We are getting back into tying flies the size of steelhead intruders but for the purpose of getting eaten by a trout, reminds me of my first Montana fall season so long ago.

My age old question; why won’t people that book a steelhead trip convert to a trout trip when they get blown out or like this season low predictions and possible closures? Some have had the date forever on the books and get infected by the numbers and rhetoric of special interest groups and just cancel. This makes no sense to me, as an angler, adapt and go fishing.