Back in December, I ran into an old-timer on the Tolt River. "Any luck?" I asked him. "No," he said, "this river just isn't what it used to be. I've been fishing it for 30 years, and you used to be able to come out here just about anytime you wanted and catch steelhead. Now you're lucky if you can catch one fish a season."

We parted ways.

Six fishless hours later, I too called it a day and headed home.

Oh to have experienced "the good ol' days"...