Highlights:

1. Fall silvers on a few rivers, both north and south. Every trip meant all the hookups I wanted, and leaving for home with two fat egg-laden hens at the end of the day.

2. Hitting my own personal Zipperlip this summer three times. First day, seven steelies hooked, five landed. Second day, four hooked, all landed. Third day on limited time, two hooked and landed. Two hatcheries in the cooler each day.

3. Fishing the "tough luck" chums on the Skykomish until my arms ached. Fished the TU chum derby, weigh-in at 3:30, fifteen fish later back in town eating breakfast at 11:00, watching the Husky game at the Keg 'n Cue in Monroe, then weighing in #2 and #3 in the derby.

4. One week later, taking my girlfriend for her first salmon fishing trip back to my "spot" on the Sky. She hooks seven and lands four chums. Better than that, they hooked her. She can't wait to get out fishing since then.

5. Last big one, fishing the upper S.Fk. Stilly the last day of October. Many silvers, but six steelies, four nates and two hatcheries. This in about four hours.

Bummers:

1. Missed the Baker R. sockeyes by a week. Caught one all day. Heard "shoulda been here last week" forty times.

2. Broke two GL3's this fall. Still broken in my basement.

3. Closure of the spring steelheading in Puget Sound. Major bummer. Hope you coasties don't mind a few million more fishermen this spring.