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consuming love for steelhead, steelhead rivers and steelhead fly fishing. They study fly fishing as scientists and alchemists. They are best friends. They are very good company on the water and off. I was beginning to nearly regret that I had called for a short day so that I could join my wife & some friends for a Blazers game. For me it was a day off; row my boat, fish the water first if I wanted to, or watch and take pictures, no demands, no explanations. We fished hard. The water was clear with the level and temperature rising steadily all day. The day was balmy. The conditions were perfect or so they seemed. The steelhead didn't to concur. By two in the afternoon no fish had come to our flies. We agreed that there was only time to fish one more run before we had to quit. The run we picked as our last stand would be one of the most popular pieces of water on the river. We
figured since it was early in the afternoon it should be unoccupied. We also agreed if it was occupied by too many other anglers, we would row by and quit early. As we rounded the last corner and the prospective water came into view it became apparent that there was a lone angler pitching gear way down
at the tail-out. The run is over 150 yards long. There would be plenty of room for the three of us and the gear guy. However as we were parking the boat, the other angler waded out of the water and at a fast pace changed his position to about 100 feet below the boat. He started working the water with his casting rod, shooting cats clear across the river. We looked at each other with disbelief . The anglers body stance assured us that he resented our company. We waited for him to start moving downstream though the run. He stood in on place and basically had us bottled up. We could see that he thought that we should be impressed with his ability to cast the width of the wide river. Derrick took his spey rod out of the boat and started casting too. Pretty quick he was also casting the same distance and the gear guy. He started working his way downstream as is the normal custom. The gear guy refused to move. Don and I leaned on the boat waiting to see what would happen next. Pretty soon Derrick hooked a steelhead right in front of the guy and it ran downstream and the guy had to reel in and get out of the way. Then he walked upstream even closer to the boat. Derricks fish came off because he was clowning around. He waded to the beach and re-entered the water between the gear guy and the boat. Now the space was pretty tight between the two anglers. Derrick's second steelhead took on the near side of the river as spey line was extended downstream past the gear guy. Once again he had to leave water as a fish pulled Derrick downstream. The gear guy watched for a while. This fish battled long and hard. It was a big wild chromer. It too came off the hook prematurely. Don followed Derrick and the gear guy left. I sat on the downstream pontoon of my boat and watched these two guys fish until it was time to go. Derrick had another pull, but the bite was over. The Blazers beat the Hawks in the first quarter, coasted to a 21 point lead by the third and finished with the second squad in most of the fourth quarter, winning by 16. Thanks Lord. Some days are just plain worth getting up for.

FLY FISHING SCHOOLS and CLASSES NEW at The Fly Fishing Shop for 2002 !!!
Basic Fly Casting	Learn To Catch Trout	Fly Fishing Lakes

Guide Vest $149.00	Master Vest $149.00	Freestone Vest $79.00
Chest Vest $49.95	69.95 Vest $29.95	39.95 Vest $19.95
This selection ranges from elegant to inexpensive, every price range, take your pick!

* Sandy River Fishery Information Bank
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