My wife and I spent last weekend in Hood River, Oregon. While she was in a business meeting, I had a chance to sneak out and fish the Klickatat river in Washington. My Simms sales rep Eric Neufeld gave me directions to some sweet water on the "Klick". His directions were spot on. My Sage TCX 7126, also known as the "Death Star", 12 ft of T-14, and a huge pink Dirk Wiggler, was the magic combination for the 9lb hen that was holding in a boulder strewn mid-river slot. She grabbed the fly early in the swing, grabbed it again ten feet later, and then finally committed to chowing it shortly thereafter. It was my first Washington steelhead on a river that boasts some classic glacial tinted swing water. Unfortunately my camera was in the truck. Can't wait for my next visit to the "Klick".

Yesterday I was out in the Predator sled with my good friend Brian Sohl. Me and the "Sohl Man" cruised up the Rogue to one of our favorite swing runs. The Sohl Man started at the top of the run with a black Morrish POM skater. While I was having a nature moment, I heard him yelling my name. I hustled to the boat, grabbed the camera, and ran up river just in time to get these pics. The Rogue steelhead is not well known as a surface oriented fish. That might be changing. I have heard of a number of fish caught on the surface already this year. We will have good water conditions (temps) til about mid Sept condusive to fishing skaters and traditional wet flies. I am having encounters with steelhead every day I go out. The Rogue is the best early season fishery in our region and will continue to get better.