Cowlitz,

Cupo is dead nuts right on that one. If you have fished the NF at all you know that it shrinks considerably in the summer as stated by your reprint of the WDFW rule change. Alot of unknowleagable fisherman think these black silouttes (sp) on the bottom are steelhead, and yes the locals twist the rules and basically float fish with a fly rod.

A floating line and a dry or wet fly is all a guy needs when the water drops this low. The local public doesnt understand that and is dredging the king holes with float and jig imitations. The WDFW is putting in affect what the average fisherman should realize by just looking at the water.
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"I have a fair idea of what to expect from the river, and usually, because I fish it that way, the river gives me approximately what I expect of it. But sooner or later something always comes up to change the set of my ways..."
- Roderick Haig-Brown