It has been said that there are two types of steelhead fishermen...those that do, and those that don't. Steelhead fishing is unlike regular trout fishing, and a steelhead angler is unlike any other angler. You are pursuing a migratory fish that is maybe not even in the river at the time you are fishing. There is no anticipation of catching different species of trout in the river, because there are none. It's all or nothing. You don't even know if there are any steelhead there, but for some reason you can't stop casting. The feel of a steelhead on the end of your line possess you to go back the next day, and day after that, and the day after that. The Salmon River is lined with tents and campers of obsessed anglers chasing these elusive fish for weeks on end.
One day, I met a physician from Missoula, Montana named Eric. He was also camping and fishing for a few days and I extended him the invitation to float down the river with me. We finished the day catching only one steelhead, and he commented that today was a "good day." With a puzzled look on my face he added that a "bad day" of steelhead fishing is when you wreck your vehicle en route to the river, or you break your rod before you even start fishing...speaking from personal experience.
After living in my waders for four days, I returned to my cozy apartment with all the comforts of modern living, and protection from the elements. However, this personal pilgrimage has started another chapter in my book of fly fishing pursuits that I hope to continue writing for the rest of my mortal life. I am haunted by steelhead.
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