Reply #3

[Jeff]

Ummmm, dude, you posted at 2 am?  You are much younger than I!!!

Choosing one most memorable steelhead has proved very difficult.  As I access my memory banks snippets of past trips and fish pop in and out.  I definitely remember my first, Jonnyhook's first, the first spoon fed nate, etc.  I think perhaps the most memorable may be the one in my sig.  The story goes like this...

Jon and I are with BMac on a float we had purchased from him to raise money for his daughter to go to Europe.  We are all alone as we saw no other boats that day, nor any other bank fishermen until the takeout.  It was a good day and we already had several nates to hand.  We had stepped out of the boat to work a stretch of water and I had gone on ahead and BMac was walking the boat down with Jonnyhook right in his grill talking away - those of you who have had the experience of fishing with Jon will understand this!

I dropped my pink worm under a float behind a rock and very shortly thereafter - bobber gone!  As I set the hook the fish was already peeling line faster than imaginable.  Of course Brian sees this from upstream and is hooting and hollering - I don't think I have fished with anyone who got more excited over each and every fish as BMac!  The fish shot to the other side; I worked it back.  It shot over again; I worked it back.  By this time Jon and Brian have secured the boat and of course I pass the rod to Jon.  Everyone knows it requires Jon to land my fish!  So I get some photos as this fish proceeds to take two more really hot runs.  Brian tailed it and taught Jon some landing and handling techniques.

The fish ended up being the thickest hen I've caught to date.  She wasn't huge, probably 12ish pounds, but she made an impression!  So this fish had all the ingredients for a lasting memory; great fight, mint bright, wonderful hookup, Jonnyhook got to land it, and I was with a good friend.

Enjoy!

Jeff