I am on a mission to capture the elusive Sol Duc Springer. I bank fish and for the past two years I have had only 1 chance. Last year in a downpour, with not one person around, I was at the bark hole an hour before dark, watching the rain just soak me. I was getting a bit bummened as i was heading back to Seattle as soon as i was done at this spot. Right before it was getting dark I was tossing a #4 Mepps Aglia not really paying attention as i was kinda gathering up my gear, just holding the rod, letting the current work the spinner. And suddenly KABOOM, I thought my arm was getting yanked off. I had 10#maxima, 8.5 med heavy Lamiglas, and a sedona spinning reel. This was the first time I had ever hooked a springer anywhere. This fish brutalized me for about 30 minutes before i even got a chance to see it as it was now about dark. I finaly got the fish to the bank 25# easy, i let it roll around a bit more and i set my rod down and just reached down and kinda scooped it up and tossed it up the bank next to me. I did not realize that where I was standing the bank was kinda on a slope. I saw the fish start to slide down toward the water, so i just flopped on it like a loose football on a rainy muddy field and sure as sh-- it just kind of squirted out from under me and splash right back in the water and GONE,GONE,GONE. My spinner had fallen off when i tossed the fish up the bank. I sat there n the dark for an hour without saying a word and just getting drenched. I walked up to my truck in my soaked gear and drove straight to Seattle without a change of clothes. a tune on the radio, or a word spoken. I am now on serious mission.....