I hear ya. I have been out a total of once this year. The beginning of January for hatchery brats with the kids. We left with the same sentiment. Few fish, lots of fisherman. But! Luckily the summer is not so. Or maybe I just don't care as much because I'm floating a river in the summer haha. Few people and few fish in the summer but at least it's pretty, we're out there doing something, and the fish do exist! I brought my 5wt to Tolmie about a month ago. That was pretty fun. Just didnt quite have the distance to reach the rolling cuties. Probably going to take up doing that too. Closest open steelheading is the coast approx 2 hours. Or head down to the cowlitz. Both not great options in my book.